Nico van der Endt 1941 – 2025

Gallery owner and publicist Nico van der Endt, a key figure in outsider art in the Netherlands, passed away on Sunday 19th of January at the age of 83, his family announced on Friday.

Van der Endt preferred to describe the work of non-professional artists—outsiders, often with psychiatric backgrounds who developed their own techniques and visual language in isolation—as “singular art.” His path to becoming a gallery owner was unexpected. Starting at 23, he spent summers guiding wealthy American tourists through Europe as a tour guide. In the winter months, he helped a friend who had opened a gallery on the Leliegracht in Amsterdam. When his friend decided to quit, Van der Endt took over the business in 1969. He quickly discarded the modern art he found dull and began selling naïve paintings by Sunday painters.

Before long, he shifted focus. After reading British art historian Roger Cardinal’s 1972 book introducing the term “outsider art,” Van der Endt decided to champion the work of individuals with schizophrenia, psychopathic disorders, and other troubled backgrounds. The art featured in Cardinal’s book deeply moved him. “It had an extra dimension that wouldn’t let go of me and could give me nightmares,” he said in a May 2023 interview with NRC, reflecting on his decision to stop selling art at the age of 81.