The Axarquía-based Dutch artist who met Dalí

Zoom

Anton Dijkgraaf, who has a studio in Almayate on the eastern Costa del Sol, will be exhibiting some of his work at Galería Luz de la Vida in Cómpeta from 11 April until 2 May

Jennie Rhodes

Tuesday, 31 March 2026, 12:12

Galería Luz de la Vida in Cómpeta in Malaga province's Axarquía will present the work of Dutch artist and travel photographer Anton Dijkgraaf in an exhibition that will run from Saturday 11 April until Saturday 2 May.

In his studio in Almayate (Vélez-Málaga), Anton creates abstract figurative paintings. He says he draws inspiration from everything that triggers him in daily life “in a raw and playful way".

The title of the exhibition in Cómpeta, Go Gorilla, the artist explains, “stands not only for wildness and primal power but also for resilience and vulnerability, a celebration of strength in all its forms”. On Saturdays throughout the exhibition Anton will be present in the gallery to share the stories behind the work on display.

Born in Amsterdam, Anton, 64, is a full-time artist and has for the last 20 years been a professional travel photographer “for upmarket fashion and lifestyle magazines”. Together with his wife Sylvia Keppel, a journalist and anthropologist, Anton says he has “been to all continents”.

Favourite country

The couple have lived in the Axarquía for 14 years and Anton also spent time living in Cadaques in Catalonia when he was in his early 20s, where he says that Salvador Dalí was his neighbour.

He met the legendary artist “a few times” although Anton points out that he never got to know him and that becoming his neighbour “was a coincidence”. He adds, “I went two times to his house to perform. We had an eclectic group of artistic people around us.”

However, Dalí isn’t one of his main inspirations and instead he says he likes the work of Juan-Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel and Francis Bacon. He’s inspired by “totems, primitive tribal things from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Australia", which he has been able to see on his extensive travels, but says that “Spain has always been my favourite country”.

This isn’t the first time that Anton has exhibited at Galeria Luz de la Vida as he had an exhibition there in 2014 and also participated in Art Malaga in 2016 and 2017. He had a duo pop-up show with Dutch artist and Vélez-Málaga resident Prisca Sinay in Frigiliana in 2021.

Enjoy the ride

As well as his artistic work he has published a number of books about his work and the art world and last year Anton published Art Notes by Anton, to celebrate 20 years of making art. Some of the entertaining titles of the work included in the book are: ‘Not Dead Yet’ and ‘Enjoy the ride’, which Luz de la Vida gallery owner, Lieuwke Loth says on her website, “This says it all about his working method.”

Anton says that when he’s not making art he enjoys spending time with Sylvia and the couple’s dog, Chico, as well as “food, spending time with friends, yoga and boxing”.

The inauguration will take place on Saturday April 11 at 5pm and the exhibition can be visited from Thursday to Saturday from 11am to 2pm, with additional opening hours on Friday evening from 6-8pm. Work by Lieuwke Loth will also be on display. For further information about the exhibition click here.