Michaël de Kok (b. 1958, Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands) is a Dutch painter based in Tilburg. He studied at the Breda Academy and the National Academy in Amsterdam. He first became known for his schematically composed, expansive figurative landscapes – vast, still, and often shadowless – occasionally crossed by a highway or a bridge. Over time, desolation gained ground, punctuated by enigmatic, angular, abandoned structures that anchor the viewer’s gaze and symbolize humanity’s careless interaction with the land.

Although based on real landscapes, De Kok never aimed for topographical or climatological accuracy. He paints from memory, creating landscapes that are always recollections and dreams: explorations in paint and a celebration of the freedom of the mind and of painting itself.

In his most recent work, De Kok has largely abandoned figuration. His landscapes have transformed into dynamic fields of color, with “vertical horizons” where two color planes meet under tension. Subtle variations in tone suggest hills and valleys, while gently slanted edges or paired canvases introduce further movement and spatial complexity. Though reminiscent of Barnett Newman, De Kok’s work represents a deeply personal quest, prioritizing freedom and mastery of paint in all its nuanced shades.

His work is included in major public collections such as the Akzonobel Foundation (Amsterdam), Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal (Leiden), Museum Schunk (Heerlen), The New Art Gallery Walsall (UK) and the NoordBrabants Museum (’s‑Hertogenbosch).

He has held solo exhibitions at Borzo Gallery in Amsterdam, Galerie Zwart Huis in Brussels and Knokke, Museum De Pont in Tilburg and the NoordBrabants Museum in ’s‑Hertogenbosch. In 2021, he was awarded the Will and Jan van Hoof Art Prize North Brabant in recognition of his oeuvre and contribution to painting.