EDUCATION
2018 - 2022
B.F.A. (Bachelor in Fine Art)
St. Joost School of Art & Design
HBO, higher professional dutch education
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2014 - 2018
​Stand, Shop and Decor Designer
SINTLUCAS
MBO, middle-level applied dutch education
Boxtel, The Netherlands
​
2012 - 2014
​​Preparatory Course
Academy of Fine Art and Design Aruba (related to Rietveld Academy)
HBO, higher professional dutch education
Oranjestad, Aruba
2011 - 2013
Physical Sciences (incomplete)
AvondHAVO
HAVO, higher general continued dutch education
Oranjestad, Aruba
​2007 - 2009
Pharmacist Technician (incomplete)
EPI: Health & services
MBO, middle-level applied dutch education
Oranjestad, Aruba
​
2002 - 2007
Natural Sciences
Colegio San Antonio
MAVO (VMBO-TL), pre-vocational dutch education
​Sta. Cruz, Aruba
​
EXHIBITIONS
​
2025
A STRANGER I DEPART
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Renee Riebeek
Installation, sculpture, and paintings
Treat With Care While Aging
MaMA
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Je-Anne Dirksz
Installation
​
2024
Artivismo Intervention
Plaza Nikki via Much'i Mondi
Oranjestad, Aruba
Group exhibition curated by Much'i Mondi
Paintings
Pop-up gallery
Rijsdijk Gallery
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Mariska Rijsdijk
Paintings
ACTIVATE, Contemporary Art section
Aruba Art Fair 2024
San Nicolas, Aruba
Group exhibition curated by Renwick Heronimo
Installation, performance, Digital animation, sculptures, & paintings
Kunstexpositie 2024
De Kruisruimte
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Richard Blindenburg
Paintings & sculptures
Cocktales #3: The Pride Edition
Plug in City via DayDayGay
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Duo exhibition with Kim Steinmann curated by DayDayGay
Performance & paintings
Lama, Solo y Arte
Studio Pfaeltzer via Rijsdijk Gallery
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Mariska Rijsdijk
Paintings
Onder de Boom
Kunst in het Kerkje
Velp-Grave, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with Eduard Linders and more
Paintings
aan de muur @ halloffame editie 4
Hall of Fame
Tilburg, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Cassidy Scheele
Painting
​
2023
To Sea at the Crossroads
38CC
Delft, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Lisandro Suriel & 38CC
Paintings, performance, & installation
Islas Utiles!
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Mariska Rijsdijk
Paintings
Encuentro Ancestral
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
First solo exhibition, curated by Justin Reinir Croes & Maarten Ketelaars
Paintings, sculptures, & installation
Destillaat #24
Extrapool
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Group exhibition
Risograph installation
​
​
2022
The Curaçao Experience
TUI Headquarters
Rijswijk, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Jordan Pieters MacDonald
Paintings
Caribbean Linked VI exhibition
Atelier '89
Oranjestad, Aruba
Group exhibition curated by Sofía Olascoaga
Installation, painting, sculpture, & performance
blij dat JIJ er bent
Kunstruimte de Melkfabriek
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with Eduard Linders and more
Paintings & sculptures
​
Graduation Show NOW SHOW, Class of €524.988,07
St. Joost School of Art & Design
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with classmates
Animation, performance, & installation
Wegens omstandigheden is er momenteel geen titel
De Fabriek
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with class-, and schoolmates
Installations & sculpture
2021
Look What You Made Me Do
St. Joost School of Art & Design
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition and collaboration with different classmates
Sculpture & performance
SOLOSOCIAL
Ongekend website
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Virtual group exhibition curated by Ongekend
Video installation
bruik
St. Joost School of Art & Design
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with classmates and collaboration with Kasper van Tol
Illustration & installation
​
2020
GAZE
Kunstruimte de Melkfabriek
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Dian van Vugt
Sculpture, performance & paintings
Gruyter Walk
De Gruyter Fabriek
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition and collaboration with Kasper van Tol & Dylan William van de Wal
Installation
Collab Collide Collapse 2nd edition
Werkwarenhuis, De Tramkade
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition and collaboration with Eduard Linders
Paintings
2019
BEHIND REALITY
Theater aan de Parade
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Albert Vissers
Illustrations
Koorts
St. Joost School of Art & Design
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition and collaboration with classmates
Installation & performance
G EH ALTE
De Cactus, De Tramkade
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition curated by Ongekend
Performance
Collab Collide Collapse 1st edition
Kunstruimte de Melkfabriek
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Group exhibition and collaboration with Jolande van Lith, curated by Ongekend
Installation, sculpture, & paintings
​
2018
Exhibition Exam
SiNTLUCAS
Boxtel, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with classmates
Sculpture
​
2017
Dutch Design Week
SiNTLUCAS
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Group exhibition with classmates
Sculpture
​
2014
Expo Academy of Fine Art & Design Aruba
Vertegenwoordiging van Nederland
Oranjestad, Aruba
Group exhibition curated by Glen Goddijn
Installation, Illustration, & sculpture
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
JHERONIMUS ATELIERPRIJS 2022
Winner for the most enterprising student of the academy of St. Joost School of Art & Design. Justin also got a free studio to work in for a year and financial support from the municipality of
's-Hertogenbosch.
BUNING BRONGERSPRIJS 2022
Nominated for biennial Dutch art award for young painters.
​
​
ARTIST IN RESIDENCES (AiR)
​
AiR Extrapool, Destillaat #24 - Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2022
(1 week)
AiR Willem Twee - 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands 2022 - 2023
(1 year)
AiR Atelier '89, Caribbean Linked VI - Oranjestad, Aruba 2022
(3 weeks)
AiR Het Huis Utrecht - Utrecht, The Netherlands 2022
(1 week)
AiR De Fabriek - Eindhoven, The Netherlands 2022
(2 weeks)
​
PUBLICATIONS
-
2024
‘Lama, Solo y Arte’ interview met Rijsdijk Galerij — SALTO, Het Gewilde Westen via their website
​
-
2023
Expo Encuentro Ancestral interview — Telearuba via their Facebook
​
Justin Reinir Croes: de start van een beloftevolle carrière — Willem Twee via their website
​
Destillaat #24 Interviews — Extrapool via their website
​
Amsterdam Stories #5: Tracing Tales of Caribbean Spirituality — Pakhuis de Zwijger via their YouTube
-
2022
Justin Reinir Croes krijgt Bossche kunstprijs Jheronimus én gratis atelier — Brabants Dagblad is their website and newspaper
​
Justin Reinir Croes wins Jheronimus Atelierprijs 2022 — St. Joost School of Art and Design via their website
Interview met Justin Croes — Stichting STeC via their YouTube
​
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES
Hommage aan Kasper – Speaker & Contributor (2024)
Participated in Hommage aan Kasper, an event honoring the late audiovisual artist Kasper van Tol, organized by Queer Arts Festival at Verkadefabriek in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Contributed with an introduction to the screening of Kasper's video works and presented a poem dedicated to his legacy. The event explored themes of surrealism, reality, and identity in Kasper’s work, as well as his impact on the LGBTQ+ community.
​
Kijken Naar Kunst van Nu – Artist Talk (2023)
Invited as a guest speaker for Kijken Naar Kunst van Nu at Willem Twee Kunstruimte. Engaged in a public conversation with art historian Marie José Eijkemans about artistic practice, cultural identity, and inclusivity. Discussed the artwork 'Sobrevivi cu e Solo' (Survive with the Sun) (2023) as a conversation piece, encouraging dialogue about Aruban culture and open interpretation.
​
Club Felix – Performer & Collaborator (2023)
Participated in August 2023 at Club Felix, a program featuring young, talented performers at Theaterfestival Boulevard 's-Hertogenbosch. Collaborated with students and alumni from the Koningstheateracademie and St. Joost School of Art & Design to create and present an artistic program consisting of cabaret, performances, installations, and exhibitions. The festival emphasized co-creation, short performances, and audience engagement. The initiative was supported by Avans University of Applied Sciences and Avans Creative Innovation.
​
Cora Sagrado – workshop (2023)
At the start of 2023, Justin began a bi-monthly workshop where participants create art using natural materials he collected, blending creativity with lessons on his roots and Aruba’s indigenous culture. Justin then did the workshop for one last time in Utrecht, at a festival called ‘What You See festival’ in late 2023.