Amok Island (born Amsterdam, 1983) is a multi-disciplinary artist from the Netherlands, based in Fremantle, Western Australia and if he wasn't an artist he would be a biologist. Heavily inspired by early naturalists’ scientific illustrations, his work embodies the accuracy and precision representative of technical drawings, used for identification purposes.
The theme of natural exploration and conservation is a strong and constant undercurrent of Amok Island’s artistic practice. His lifelong fascination with nature and her relationships and history with mankind drive the artist’s obvious appreciation and obsession with his subjects and his urge to direct the attention of his audience to them.
Amok Island pursues a point of balance where minimal shape and colour remain capable of realistically representing a subject. To accomplish this, he renders his subjects to near bare minimum geometric elements of form, and places paramount importance on the use of a carefully considered colour palette.
2019 ’Six stages of Banksia baxteri’ silo artwork was featured on an Australia Post stamp
2020 ‘Koala’ poster for ‘Bushfire Brandalism’ was added to the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria
2020 ‘Banksia menziessii’ screen print is on permanent display in the new Museum of Western Australia Boola Bardip
Amok Island has created murals in over 25 countries worldwide and exhibited his work in Australia, the Netherlands and Japan.