Matthijs Van Mierlo is an author and digital creator who has made it his mission to open up the world of art history with humor and a healthy dose of irreverence. He is the founder of The Gaze, a widely popular channel on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, where millions of viewers discover that art, besides being beautiful, is also bizarre, messy, and full of human stories.

Before diving into the art world he loves, Matthijs earned an MA in Theatre and Film Studies. He went on to work as a copywriter and content creator, honing the storytelling skills he now brings to both his videos and his writing. Since launching The Gaze in 2019, he has collaborated with major museums across Europe and the United States, from the Van Gogh Museum to the National Gallery of Art, creating content that bridges the gap between online audiences and centuries-old masterpieces.

His debut book, Stupid Faces in Stunning Paintings, grew out of the same curiosity and playfulness that fuel his videos: a fascination with the overlooked details that make great art feel alive and relatable. Matthijs lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium.