Often Eugene Brands was in one breath with the CoBrA movement; yet he belonged only briefly to this movement. After the infamous joint exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, in November 1949, he took leave of CoBrA and went on his own as an artist, following his very personal views.

He became interested in primitive cultures, especially music and ethnography, and many of the magical elements of these cultures, he tried to express in his work. He also became very interested in the 1950s in children's drawings, influenced by the fact that his daughter Eugenie was a toddler. For years he let himself be inspired, which resulted in beautiful small paintings - mostly oil on paper.

In the 1960s, Brands gradually returned to abstract figuration with two major themes: eternal motion and the immensity of the cosmos. "I am nothing, I receive," he said.

In 1993 Eugène decided to stop painting on canvas because it was too heavy for him physically. After that time he confined himself to gouache on paper.

Eugene Brands died on 15 January 2002 at age 89.

Source:
http://www.eugenebrands.nl/2460--Biografie.html

Eugene Brands (January 15, 1913 - January 15, 2002 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter. He was briefly a member of the Cobra artist movement.

In 1946, Eugene Brands participated in the group exhibition "Young Painters" in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, where a whole room was filled with his work. In 1948 he joined the Experimental Group Holland, and in November 1949 he showcased his artwork in the "International exhibition of experimental art".

Meanwhile, the Cobra movement was founded, a group he produced his best works with. However, differences of opinion and disagreements resulted in his departure and he decided to go solo. In the 1950s he was inspired by children's drawings.

Today his work is often showcased at the Museum Jan van der Togt.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Brands