2004

"Frozen Poses"   oil on MDF board h82 x w102cm,   January 2004

I have used human figures in various poses before to create a captivating image that makes you wonder what tale it tells. Look for instance at "Three Lesser Goddesses", "Nude with Folded Arms", "Feel the Vibe". I suggest I do not comment on it but the viewer just follows the swirling, organic lines in the picture.

"Transition I"   oil on canvas h97 x w93cm,   February 2004

This is an experiment in form and imagery around the picture of a boat on a river, which is often used as a symbol of the journey of life or a rite of passage. The impressionist spots making up the boat image are in stark contrast to the more realistic painting style of the preceding paintings.

"Transition II"   oili on canvas h97 x w93cm,   March 2004

This is a second experiment around the same picture of a boat. This time the image is almost entirely made up of letters, transferred onto canvas with the help of a mould. The (fragments of the) individual characters do not tell a story and do not have any significance in themselves. They only suggest an idea or a story purely by their shapes and colours. Years ago I already made a painting consisting of letters only, called "The Alphabet Man", but "Transition II" is on purpose less clearly readable, certainly when you do not see "Transition I" alongside.

"Anyone for a drink?"   oil on canvas h83 x w103cm,   April 2004

Here is a summer scene at a posh pavement cafe. A stout walker with a handkerchief on his head against the sun, which has still caused some sunburn, looks clapped out and glad that he is sitting down now. Fortunately the waiter has just brought him his beer. The two people are each other's opposites: the waiter (after the photograph on the cover of the Larousse Gastronomique) who is smartly dressed for work and already looking at the next guest who needs to be served, and the guest who is not looking his best (or should we say 'looking a mess') in his leisure time and who does not care about anything as long as his thirst is quenched. The humorous scene with recognizable, ordinary people is in the same vein as "Ascot Gentlemen" from 2001.

"Easter Backpacking"   oil on canvas h103 x w84cm,   September 2004

My intention was to make something cheerful and brightly coloured. Once more I chose a human figure, but then constructed out of basic forms rather than just painted in a realistic style. Quite some time ago I already did this in "Bickering Almonds". With human figures you naturally arrive at oval shapes, such as eggs or computer mouse devices, and if you push, twist and turn them long enough something will finally emerge. The unpremeditated though later obvious association with coloured easter eggs is now part of the title.

"Next One, Please"   oil on canvas h58 x w93cm,   October 2004

In contrast with the previous painting I wanted to have as few colours as possible here. It was not because cows should necessarily be black and white, but because the idea behind it does not put you in a cheerful mood and does not bear nice and bright colours. The picture of cows herding together so pleasantly is deceptive, because however peaceful they look, they all wait for their number to be called and then it is their turn at the slaughterhouse. They all look in our direction as if to say: "What now brown cow?" I have interwoven figures before in "Frozen Poses", "Entangled Nudes", "Do I see a Nude?", "Beagle" and "Ghostly Figures".

"Swing-top Bottles"   oil on canvas h44 x w44cm,   November 2004

In 2003 I already made two small realistic paintings on the theme of alcohol: "Crown-caps" and "Corks". In them I enlarged details of the packaging of alcoholic drinks. I am doing this again here now with the top of Grolsch swing-top bottles. I made digital photographs and drew the image off-hand and with a little measuring onto the canvas.

"Wine Corks"   oil on canvas h44 x w44cm,   December 2004

Just like "Swing-top Bottles" "Wine Corks" is a sequel to the realistic 2003 diptych "Crown-caps" and "Corks". And wine corks are an obvious and fitting final piece in what is now a set of four paintings. Other alcohol-related paintings are "Bottled", "The Drinker" and "Anyone for a Drink?".

"Embrace"   oil on canvas h60 x w100cm,   December 2004

My sister had once bought a painting (off another artist) and now wanted to get rid of it. Could I please paint over it? Unfortunately, I could not get the canvas off the frame without damaging it, so I had to fit another canvas. I could reuse the old canvas back to front on a smaller frame, which I did. It became "Next One, Please". In the meantime I was pondering on a subject, because the picture she had given me ("something like this, if that's possible") was of little inspiration to me. I noticed how difficult and restricting it is to work on commission and decided to choose my own subject hoping for the best. It became an intimate embrace, shrouded by a colourful shower of confetti.