René Daniëls (Eindhoven, 1950) attended the Art Academy in Den Bosch from 1972 to 1976, focusing primarily on the free department of 'Graphics.' During his time at the academy, he developed as a painter, drawing inspiration from German artists such as Sigmar Polke and Georg Baselitz and feeling a connection with René Magritte due to their shared sense of 'emotional detachment.' His creative process was intuitive, often beginning with a series of drawings and color sketches before moving on to painting. His subjects were frequently drawn from everyday observations, blending visual and textual elements, reflecting his admiration for artists like Marcel Duchamp and Francis Picabia. In 1987, a stroke abruptly ended his promising career, but since 2006 he has been living in Eindhoven, creating small works once again.Daniëls first exhibited in Düsseldorf in 1977 and quickly gained recognition as 'innovative and provocative.'

During the 1980s, his work achieved international acclaim, with participation in prestigious exhibitions such as Westkunst (Cologne, 1981), Zeitgeist (Berlin, 1982), and documenta 7 (Kassel, 1982). His paintings are part of major collections, including the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Tate Gallery London, and Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven. Following his stroke in 1987, his oeuvre and archive were entrusted to the René Daniëls Foundation, leading to significant retrospectives such as The Most Contemporary Picture Show (1998) and An Exhibition Is Always Part of a Greater Whole (Van Abbemuseum, 2012). His work remains an influential voice in contemporary art.