A collaboration shaped over time | Donald Schenkel
From paper to installation: tracing the evolution of a painter’s practice.
Donald Schenkel has been part of Root Gallery’s story from the very beginning. In fact, he exhibited in our very first show back in 2014, before the gallery officially existed. At the time, we were organising pop-up exhibitions when Donald walked into a meeting with a large portfolio full of blue colour gradients on paper. Something about the work immediately clicked. He had to be part of that first exhibition, and it marked the start of a lasting collaboration.
When we opened the first official Root Gallery space in 2018, Donald was, of course, one of the first artists we invited to work with. Since then, his practice has expanded in scale and scope, and we’ve followed his evolving visual language closely, from monumental abstract paintings to more intimate compositions, sculptural works, and installations.
We’ve presented his work in dozens of exhibitions, including several at our early Rotterdam locations, as well as in group shows, solo presentations, and multiple editions of Art The Hague, KunstRAI, and many other art fairs. Over the years, we’ve also travelled with Donald for special projects and exhibitions in places like Guangzhou and Turin, memorable experiences that deepened our collaboration and expanded his international reach.
From gesture to presence
Donald’s work is instantly recognisable, not through repetition, but through presence. He explores materiality in all its layers, working with pigments, oils, minerals, and a variety of surfaces to create pieces that feel as if they have grown over time. His works often look like they could have emerged from a wall rather than been placed on one.
Over the years, we’ve seen his process shift and refine, balancing instinct and precision. At Root Gallery, we’ve spoken often with Donald about surface, depth, and how a painting can command a space without needing to shout.
"I remember the light of the fluorescent tubes, an orange floor, and the buzzing voices of art students, teachers, family, and friends in an empty retail space just behind the public library in Rotterdam. It was Root Exhibitions' first show, and for me, the first time showing work outside the academy. I was still a student and felt incredibly insecure, but by the end of the evening, I suddenly felt like part of the cool crowd. It wasn’t just practice anymore, what I made was art, and it could be shown to the world."
A practice in transition
Donald began by working on paper, later expanding to canvas, sculptural forms, and large-scale installations. "When I first started, I was completely focused on making a very specific kind of image: smooth, meditative colour gradients in oil paint. Over time, those blue gradients became an anchor for a broader visual universe. From paintings and wall sculptures to large-scale installations and experiments with glass, wood, aluminium, and perspex—all combined with oil paint. Now, I’m letting go of that one perfected gradient. I’ve started breaking it apart, editing, blending. The new work exists somewhere between the material weight of oil paint and the immaterial nature of the digital."
This evolution is also visible in his most recent works, richer in texture and complexity, while remaining unmistakably his.
A long-term collaboration
"A good gallery is your best sparring partner and your toughest critic at the same time. There’s something unique about the bond between artist and gallerist, because so much of how people experience the final work comes from that synergy. Sometimes it's professional, but often it’s more than that, and that 'more' is crucial. Root Gallery is one of those rare galleries that challenges you while also giving you the space to grow, to make mistakes, and to push through. That makes all the difference."
What’s next
Donald will be part of our upcoming booth presentation at KunstRAI 2025, with a new selection of works.
"Last year, I showed the first pieces from this new series at KunstRAI. This year, I’ll present larger works that allowed me to deepen and scale up my process. I’m very curious to see the first reactions and to speak with viewers and collectors. For me, art doesn’t really exist unless it’s seen and shared. Fairs are those rare moments when a large number of people engage with the work in a short time, and that brings a kind of energy I always look forward to."
His paintings continue to unfold slowly, rewarding close looking and quiet attention.
You can see Donald Schenkel’s latest works at KunstRAI 2025, taking place from 30 April to 4 May. Curious to visit? Email us for tickets via contact@root.gallery.
