_{Omniartist born in Rotterdam the Netherlands on 18-03-1957}

_{1964-1965 lived in Canada}

_{1967-1970 lived in South Africa}

_{1970-76 went through high school – Libanon Lyceum in Rotterdam (with latin and greek) wrote his first poems and took violin lessons with Tom de Vree}

_{1976-79 studied Slavic languages at the University Leiden with prof. Karel van het Reve}

_{1979-83 wrote a few plays in the tradition of the theatre of the absurd created his first ready mades (3d poems as he calls them) started taking lessons on alto saxofone with Ben Vrauwdeunt}

_{1982-83 trained privately by Piet Eelvelt in the Stanislavsky technique}

_{1983 initiated the Weltschmerz & Kopfschmerz foundation a non-profit organisation for activities in many forms of art}

_{staged his first version of the Hamletmachine (solo) by Heiner Müller the East German dissident}

_{founded together with Erik-Ward Geerlings Krochttheater which proved to be so experimental that it became infamous}

_{staged his first play The Collectors (De Verzamelaars) in Picollo Theater Rotterdam}

_{created in collaboration with E.W. Geerlings a buddhist performance A Spoiled Evening (Een verziekte avond) which was also executed at Stalker in Bruxelles}

_{co-founder of the improvisation band Dustbin Silence that gave 20 concerts in 3 years in the Netherlands and Belgium}

_{1985 first exhibition of his 3d poems (readymades) in Galerie Mes�in Groningen}

_{organized�October a manifestation of Non-Neat Art with a group exhibition and theatre (M�ller and Majakofski) in�Galerie Alles voor 12 en 24 volt in Rotterdam}

_{1984-86 singer of the popgroup God Knows the Absence that gave it’s last concert in Museum Boymans van Beuningen in Rotterdam}

_{1986-87 classical singing training at the Rotterdam Conservatory}

_{1986 organized (commissioned by the Rotterdam Art Foundation) for the opening of Cafe De Unie a project called Amphibitheatre consisting of theatre, installations and performance in 5 containers}

_{took part in Wink van Kempen’s Perfo 4D festival with his performance Recital}

_{presented his 4th version of the Hamletmachine by Heiner Müller with video fragments of the first 3 versions}

_{1987 staged in collaboration with Jan Decorte (who made the adaption) A Massacre at Paris by Christopher Marlowe (title: In the meanwhile in Paris) the other actors were Nico Okkerse en Erik-Ward Geerlings}

_{created the first 3 theatre-clips of the series Kort & Goed (Short & Good) with which�Krochttheater became famous
Hamlet (Shakespeare),�Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf (Edward Albee), The Blue Bird (Maeterlinck)}

_{started his training in North Indian classical singing with Ustad Mohammad Sayeed Khan}

_{founded Gallery Paradise Regained a work and exhibition space in Historical Delfshaven in Rotterdam}

_{1988 collaborated in demolishing�Krochttheater and founded his own independant organisation Nobody’s Business}

_{created in collaboration with the dancer Lucie Moormann Estafette/Enigma a movement theatre piece with a group of youngsters in Lantaren/Venster Rotterdam}

_{staged 3 versions of The Sailor by Fernando Pessoa in Galerie Paradise Regained (Dutch premiere)}

_{1989 acted in the play Comptons & Burnetts by�Bonheur in Rotterdam}

_{made�It Goes Without Saying in collaboration with choreographer Wybo Platenkamp}

_{performed the� solo performance Lot or On falling down while addressing people in Shaffy Theater in Amsterdam}

_{performed in the movement theatre piece Cuore di Cane of Gustavo Frigerio}

_{gave a theatrical lecture on F.X.Messerschmidt the first artist to take himself as (expressive) subject for his sculptures that were later on��called��Charakterk�pfe and exhibited drawings of Charakterkopfe in the Rotterdamse Schouwburg}

_{exhibits ‘lightdrawings’ and setsketches for an inoperable project A HOLE IN THE WATER
(inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest) which he presents in FRAU HOLLE in Amsterdam}

_{1990 directs ALEX D’ELECTRIQUE in DRAMOLETTE by Thomas Bernhard}

_{commits the first outdoor CAT-Acts (Contemporary Art Terrorism Acts)
with his operated flags on the DAM square, Amsterdam and the South African Embassy}

_{exhibits OPERATED FLAGS in GALERIE PARADISE REGAINED and DE BALIE, Amsterdam
opens with the operation of the USA flag with 50 gunshots, bandages and filmblood}

_{1991 publication of THEATRICAL RESEARCH since 1984
a review of 10 years work in the theatre and visual arts
on the occasion of the VAN ZANTEN WEEK in the Rotterdams Schouwburg}

_{gives an interactive lecture on live and work of the philospher OTTO WEININGER
with the title GENDER OR CHARACTER premiere GRAND THEATRE in Groningen}

_{distributes his first freecards and stickers as autonomous art}

_{FIRST BLINDMAN’S STICK TRAVEL (Ireland) and exhibition of it in the form of freecards}

_{1992 founds THE INSTITUTE FOR SUEREALISM and in doing so gives a name
to a ‘new’ art movement: making art with reality/the art of observation}

_{organizes and leads THE SUICIDE CLUB in DE UNIE in Rotterdam en DE BALIE in Amsterdam}

_{1993 produces a series of EDIBLE THEATRE inspired by a story of Apollonaire
in Zaal DE UNIE in Rotterdam in collaboration with Karin Lancel}

_{Cd-presentation of SAMPLEMIND’S SUGGESTIONS FOR A EUROPEAN ANTHEM
in collaboration with DON SATIJN, ARTHUR SAUER e.a.in the AMSTERDAMSESCHOUWBURG}

_{got as far as the halve final of CAMERETTEN (a cabaret/stand up competion)
with TOO FUNNY FOR THIS WORLD in Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam}

_{establishes UNASKED FOR ADVICE CONSULTANCY and ANTI-CONSENSUS UNION}

_{was curator of the ROTTERDAM WEEK on the ARK in ANTWERPEN 93
CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE}

_{1994 founds the SALON FOR POETRY in the DE REPUBLIEK, FELIX MERITIS in Amsterdam}

_{creates in collaboration with LISA MARCUS a movement theatre play about GALA & DALI}

_{starts as singer with YENS & YENS the electronic raptrance formation LUCID TERROR}

_{1995 exhibits a BRAIN OF CHEWING GUM in Galerie Paradise Regained, Rotterdam}

_{actor in THE TREES, THE FOREST an peotic play by Anneke Bonnema with NIEUW WEST}

_{exhibition of OPERATED FLAGS in the form of a series of freecards (48.000)}

_{takes part in groupexhibition NOBODY’S BIZNIZ II with Jos Vermeulen en Walter Joris
in TORCH GALLERY, Amsterdam}

_{opens the DALI exhibition in the BEURS VAN BERLAGE, Amsterdam
with his Dali-impersonation}

_{BLINDMAN’S STICK TRAVEL PARIS}

_{BLINDMAN’S STICK TRAVEL SPAIN/PORTUGAL}

_{1996 exhibition of FULL COLOUR MOUVEMENT PAINTINGS
made with Milena Feher in GALERIE 2X2, Delfshaven}

_{publishes a series of social critical freecards with the title
MC WISECRACK GOES DUTCH with financial support of Centre for Visual arts, Rotterdam}

_{takes part in the group exhibition FRESH BREEZE in NOVA ZEMBLA, Den Bosch
with 36 different freecards}

_{makes a solo about the historical BARON VON MUNCHHAUSEN
in collaboration with photographer Wim van Egmond}

_{directs the youth theatre piece BLAUW by Moniek Merkx with ARTEMIS in Den Bosch}

_{opens the TRIPLE XXX Festival in Amsterdam with a concert by LUCID TERROR
and exhibits his BRAIN OF CHEWINGGUM}

_{HENRI VAN ZANTEN BRINGS NEW AMUSEMENT a multi-media week
Rotterdamse Schouwburg and DE NES, Amsterdam
in collaboration with Wink van Kempen and Wim van Egmond (phototheatre), A.Moonen
(improvisation theatre), Milena Feher (dance/performance), Jan Zobel and Dina ed Dik
(a version of the Hamletmachine combing dance and acting)}

_{1997-99 contributes to art magazine HTV DE IJSBERG (The Tip of the Iceberg)}

_{1997 creates High-Tech Rap Royal theatre as MC WISECRACK/Support Act Hamlet
in collaboration with Yens&Yens, the dancers Ruth Moreno and Milena Feher and others
(premiere NIGHTTOWN, Rotterdam)}

_{1998 stages PUBLIEKSBESCHIMPING of PETER HANDKE
as soundtrack with 120 voices and an empty stage
(CD presentation in Rotterdamse Schouwburg)}

_{plays together with Nico Okkerse (Silent Disco) and Jan Joris Lamers (Discordia)
THE MONKEY PARLEMENT (an adaption of a book by Gerrit Paape 1783)
in PERSCENTRUM NIEUWSPOORT where the Dutch premier also reports}

_{10th version of the HAMLETMACHINE in the station, on the street and
the PAULUSKERK/Rotterd with youngsters of the FUTURESQUAD}

_{1999 forms UNITED DEMONS INCORPORATED a CREACTOR of 20 artists
from different disciplines and generations (in Bonheur, Rotterdam)}

_{directs his first large stageproduction of THE HOTHOUSE by HAROLD PINTER
in the ROTTERDAMSE SCHOUWBURG with Cas Enklaar, Dik Boutkan, Hugo Haenen etc}

_{dramaturgy,lyrics and vocals with Lucid Terror) for VERGE by EDGE dance theatre}

_{locationproject BIJ BRAND OF AANRAAD (In case of emergency) in LEKHAVEN, Rotterdam
(a combination of Verkommenes Ufer and Hamletmachine by Heiner Müller)}

_{2000 publishes MC WISECRACK’S STICKERFUN}

_{opens the group exhibition SALVA MEA in the Big Church, The Hague
as in MC WISECRACK in armour, singing gregorian and swinging a flail}

_{stages THE SEVEN SENSES inspired by Dante’s THE DIVINE COMEDY
a triptych with FUTURESQUAD in the PAULUSKERK, Rotterdam}

_{publishes MC Wisecrack’s BRAINFRAGMENTATION BOMB}

_{conceives and conducts the worldpremiere of the MONOLOGUES CHOIR
in the large house of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg}

_{starts a weekly programme KOMKOMMERTV (Cucumber TV) on RotterdamTV
with art, interviews, registrations and satire}

_{stages FUCK SHAKESPEARE (Hamletmachine) music theatre with FUTURESQUAD
for ZAPNATION, a cultural youth festival in Rotterdam}

_{openingperformance for groupexhibition I AM A PUNK MAMA
in SHOWROOM MAMA , Rotterdam in which he takes part
with a new series of OPERATED FLAGS (commissioned)}

_{2001 writes and directs in collaboration with Niko Okkerse the FLASH THEATRE play
AMLETH/the Original/the Gothic/the Best in DE REGENTES, Den Haag}

_{live performance with Lucid Terror for the choreography DEUCE
by Pieter de Ruiter and Eva Villenueva in DE JULIANAKERK, The Hague}

_{lyrics & vocals with Lucid Terror for the choreography STOMACH
by EDGE (premiere HOLLAND DANCE FESTIVAL, The Hague)}

_{2002 contributes drawings to HARD POP a publication by SHOWROOM MAMA
on streetwise and wild art in Rotterdam}

_{takes part with an interactive performance RANDOM TAXI
in the manifestation PARKING DEN HAAG organized by STROOM, The Hague}

_{lyrics & vocals with Lucid Terror for MILKY TEARS by Elaine Kim, Buenos Aires}

_{lyric & vocals with Lucid Terror for the choreography STOPMOTION by Pieter de Ruiter}

_{lyrics & vocals with Lucid Terror and dramaturgy for NERVES by EDGE dance theatre}

_{takes part in the project ARTIST POSTCARDS by RUCHAN SAHINOGLU (Istanbul)}

_{composes a SELFPORTRAIT IN GROUP FORMATION with the title OH NO NOT AGAIN
in TENT in Rotterdam~ a retrospective of 20 years of artactivities and collaborations
with work of 50 colleagues (including Pasi Grandquist)}

_{2003 gives a lecture about inspiration at the ROTTERDAM DANCE ACADEMY}

_{publication of MC WISECRACK’S STICKERFUN 2}

_{takes part in the SIRENES FESTIVAL in THE ILLUSEUM, Amsterdam
with vocal performance, poetry and printed matter}

_{research in his records}

_{2004 conducts a workshop BALANCE IN WONDERLAND
at the WILLEM DE KOONING ACADEMY, Rotterdam}

_{research in his records}

_{2005 takes part in 5 different groupexhibitions inDORDTSALON, Rotterdam}

_{takes part in PNEUFORIA organized by 75+NAP in The Hague}

_{2006 participates in MENTAL ZIRKUS in SUPAMOLLY in BERLIJN
as moderator and with performance and printed matter}

_{artist in residence in WILLEM 3 in Vlissingen with an exhibition
and produces a series of pseudo-touristic freecards OOIT IN VLISSINGEN GEWEEST?
(Ever been in Vlissingen?)}

_{takes part in the WERKSTATT 2006 van JG Stadmitte JENA
makes his sculpture BUCHERSCHASHLIK and stages the 12th version
of the HAMLETMACHINE with local youth}

_{2007 takes part in the group exhibition PILLARS IN THE MUD II in LOCUS 010 in Rotterdam
it was curated by Hugo Lammerink BOSZOOM SOLUTIONS
at the opening van Z. sang with his free jazz group THE BLACK-OUT SYNDROME CLUB}

_{is narrator in U RAGING STANDSTILL by CREW in the NEW TERRITORIES festival in Glasgow}

_{gives workshops at the WILLEM DE KOONING ACADEMY and HRO in Rotterdam}

_{runs the DPC (Depression Promotion Centre) in Galerie POOL 120 in Rotterdam
collaboration with the PKV (Passive Art Society) a 2 month project
with exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings etc.}

is the correspondent in the city of rural art-community KANTJE BOORD
and supports ZIEGENMALTE’s video report as stressdesigner

_{is guest teacher at the TU DELFT for concept developement, storyboard analyses, acting
and directing in connection to the minor IMAGINATION for animation technique}

starts Youtube channels as outlets for current and past creative ‘utterings and stutterings’
of himself and alter-ego’s, including a new one: /Stigmadome, for the extreme experimental
expressions, thus protecting the general public with ’splendid isolation’

is active again as singer and rapper in various musical formations and creates Myspaces for them: /theblackoutsyndromecluboeuvre (natural bron free jazz), /hardonlove (pretty evil ballads with Fuck The Writer on guitar), /hoab (=Handsome of a Bitch with Theo Wesselo/RemboT. with thoughtful songs), /popupshits (anonymous forum for scary musical shit!)

reunion of GOD KNOWS THE ABSENCE his anti-scene band popular 1986-1991
for the presentation of the ANTISCENE photobook by Carla van der Marel in Arminus Church Rotterdam

2008�reads from his Dutch poetry in de RIDDER DICHT on 9th of march together with Frans Vogel

makes and performance a satirical interactive short play Who is fooling who? about alternative psychiatry with Paul de Breet for “the Week of Psychiatry”

is senoir vocal advisor and stressdesigner of the www.ktre.nl (the Klingon Terran Research Ensemble)
and was the grandmaster judging the musical battles on the 27th of march in Zeebelt in the Hague

exhibits glam-collages in IEZ cafe Rotterdam along side prints by Denis Oppenheim in the month april
organized by EhbeltoArt

creates and performes together with Rita Vilhena artistic leader of Baila Louca (Crazy Dance)-the performance Justification inspired by ‘the Death and the Maiden’ theme of Hans Baldung Grien in the former Photography Institute in Rotterdam (on 25th of april )
the black metal band ‘..of melancholy burning” from Rotterdam played live during Justification

founds with Prof. Sidhy Idiopath the PRC (Punk Research Centre) presenting it in public as
Frauduleus on the 1st of may in Exit Rotterdam

appointed as stressdesigner and creative coach at the Pameijer in Rotterdam
an organisation for social and psychological support

takes part in the 48 hour film project as Featherson in Zeer by pepperpopcornproductions in Amsterdam

starts poetry workshop Zegiswat (Saysomething) in collaboration with Pameijer an organisation for reintegration

exhibits SoftenonNaziWindmill in De Aanschouw Rotterdam

organizes the Depression Promotion Centre 2 in the former Photomuseum in Rotterdam

performes Green Love with Rita Vilhena during the Wereld van de Witte de With festival in Rotterdam

takes part in the 48 hour film project as�loner in Droog krijt (Dry chalk) in Utrecht

forms with Kaat Nouwen the vocal formation Tunneltunes

definitely joins the Rotterdam Free Jazz Ensemble

guestteacher at the Technical University Delft for the minor Imagination 2 for animation

2009 joins the band Yokocola as singer and royal rapper MC Wisecrack

organizes Phototheatre presents… in the former Photomuseum in Rotterdam, a group exhibition with 21 artists

gives a video workshop in the Urban Studio 2009 at HRO Rotterdam

presents with Floris Schönfeld the KTRE at the Balie Amsterdam as Master of the Scream

leads as The Master of the Scream the RFJE in the second Jambattle with robot at Het Wilde Weten Rotterdam

Related posts:

1. Van Zanten voor beginners – CV in Nederlands
2. Music Will Save The World
3. No life without theatre, no theatre without life!

There is only a small chance you know what an Omniartist is and that Henri van Zanten is the first great example of his own invention. Of course inspired by Da Vinci. But in the first place by his innate fearless curiosity and his obsession to express the joy of beauty, damning the doom of negative forces forever.

To keep it simple: welcome to the playground on the funny side of life: omniart. And the painkillers will be sweet. Just look at this reaction to the question what came first: the egg or the chicken?

Need assistance? Email me: info@henrivanzanten.com

Related posts:

1. MC Wisecrack: Support Act Hamlet (1997 – Rotterdam)
2. Great expectation
3. Alberta & Alberto are introduced