Ralf Kokke sitting on a red chair in his studio, surrounded by his bright paintings of tigers, horses and figures
Ralf Kokke in his studio. Courtesy the artist and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration.

Last updated: 28 October 2026

Ralf Kokke is the Dutch artist who paints bright, dreamlike paradises of tigers, crocodiles and figures in thick, home-made chalk paint. Here you will find our take on his work, his London solo show at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, the one Ralf Kokke print on sale, and his small painting in this year’s War Child auction.

Our take on Ralf Kokke

Kokke paints a private paradise of jungles, rivers and animals, always with a hint of danger close by. The roots go back to his childhood in Rotterdam. “I was a kid who had difficulties differentiating reality from fantasy,” he told Mepaintsme in 2025. He also makes his own paint, so the surfaces are rough and built up, almost like plaster.

His War Child piece, Bitten by the Sun, is chalk paint on a small panel. A green crocodile rears up out of pale blue water with its jaws wide open. Rows of red and white teeth frame a yellow sun, as if the crocodile is about to swallow it. Then, at the bottom right, two small eyes peer out from the coils of its body. The paint is thick and lumpy, so even at this size it reads as an object as much as a picture.

The crocodile is not a random choice. In fact, it is the main motif of Candy for Crocodiles, his solo show at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in London, which runs until 7 November. So this lot works as a small, affordable companion to that show. “Figuration has always been central,” he said in the same interview, and this panel shows why.

Ralf Kokke: the essentials

  • Born in 1989 into a family of dockworkers in the suburbs of Rotterdam, according to Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery.
  • BFA in Painting from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, 2011 to 2014.
  • Won the Pictura Prize in 2019 and was a finalist for the Royal Award for Modern Painting in 2022.
  • Residency at the Vincent van Gogh Huis, Zundert, in 2020, plus grants from the Mondriaan Fund and the Dordrechts Museum.
  • Works in the collections of the Dordrechts Museum and the Vincent van Gogh Huis.
  • Also curates shows at the Tinimini Room project space in Dordrecht.
  • Represented by Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (London, Berlin and West Palm Beach) and Hans Alf Gallery, Copenhagen.

Where to see Ralf Kokke now

  • Coming up: Sound & Vision 2026, a War Child charity auction online from 27 October to 12 November 2026, with the works on view at Iconic Images Gallery, London, 6 to 8 November. The piece is Bitten by the Sun (2026), chalk paint on panel, 21 x 15 cm (8.3 x 5.9 in), lot page.
  • Now: Candy for Crocodiles (solo), Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Tower Bridge, London, 8 October to 7 November 2026.
  • Coming up: Meliorism II (group), Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London Bridge, 14 May to 12 June 2027.
  • Blue Blossom Lions (solo), Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, 3 May to 7 June 2025.
  • Hooked on Neverland (solo), Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, 9 February to 18 March 2023.

How to buy a Ralf Kokke print or painting

There is one Ralf Kokke print on sale at the moment, plus a small painting in a charity auction:

  • Stalker: a four-colour Riso print on Arena Natural Rough paper with hand-painted details, so each one differs, 28.3 x 39.8 cm (11.1 x 15.7 in), signed and numbered, edition of 25 plus 1 artist’s proof, €200 (about £167) from Unfair Editions in the Netherlands.
  • Bitten by the Sun, 2026: a small chalk paint on panel in the War Child Sound & Vision auction, bidding from £100 until 12 November 2026 (bid here).
  • Paintings: through Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, price on request.

Ralf Kokke FAQs

Which gallery represents Ralf Kokke?

Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, in London, Berlin and West Palm Beach, and Hans Alf Gallery in Copenhagen.

What paint does Ralf Kokke use?

Mostly chalk paint, often mixed with raw materials and fillers that he prepares himself. That is why his surfaces are so thick and textured.

Can I buy a Ralf Kokke print?

Yes. Stalker, a hand-finished Riso print in an edition of 25, costs €200 (about £167) from Unfair Editions.

Where can I see Ralf Kokke’s work in London?

His solo show Candy for Crocodiles is at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Tower Bridge, until 7 November 2026. His War Child piece is on view at Iconic Images Gallery from 6 to 8 November.

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Main image: Ralf Kokke in his studio. Courtesy the artist and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates, prices, auction results and market figures last checked: 28 October 2026.

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