“Sometimes I wish the whole world were made only of lines.”
SmithDavidson Gallery is the official gallery for Hanne Arends with access to the full collection.
Alf Bärbel Wit Peters (b. 2015) is a self-taught Dutch artist who works entirely intuitively. His abstract paintings and drawings emerge without a preconceived plan: lines, shapes, and colors develop organically, guided by emotion, rhythm, and movement. “I just start,” Alf says. “Each line inspires the next.”
His work is characterized by a layered visual language in which structure and freedom coexist. The compositions are playful and open, yet at the same time charged with focus and depth. Viewers often describe his work as meditative or musical, an association that is closely connected to his background as a pianist. The cadence of music is visible in the rhythmic construction of his lines and brushstrokes, drawing the viewer ever deeper into the work.
Although comparisons are often made to artists such as Kandinsky, Miró, Haring, and Appel, Alf has developed a distinct visual language that does not rely on conceptual frameworks or theoretical premises. His work is about feeling and experiencing rather than explaining.
Alongside his autonomous practice, Alf has worked on a wide range of projects in collaboration with cultural and commercial partners. These include a six-meter mural for Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, a carpet collection for Moooi, illustrations for publications such as Monument and Playground Magazine, a collaboration with street artist NIETS, and workshops for WeTransfer and the Maastricht Academy of Arts. Most recently, he painted an entire hotel room at De Groene Afslag.
His work has also been featured in the television program Moonriders at the Kröller-Müller Museum. It has been published internationally by platforms including Design Milk and Dezeen, and is held in private collections across Europe and the United States.