Arjen

Arjen investigates the possibilities in the space between minimalism and surrealism. His practice is as much related to work of Salvador Dali as it is to the work of Mondrian. Arjen builds on the idea of cubism which he evolves towards an organic unity, while leaving out everything that is not essential.

Arjen uses an articulated visual language. The works have their own atmosphere. Some are humorous, some are elegant and serene while others can be more tantalizing.

“When you leave out a line, automatically all the other lines become more important.”

His oil paintings are based on sketches in which he improvises with elements of the human body, geometrical forms and assorted other features. The interaction between all these elements, in unusual formations, sometimes leads to indescribable associations. In contrast to the irrational content, he rigorously finetunes his sketches into a compositionally balanced and formally logical result. 

The paint is applied smoothly, with minimal visible brush strokes. The color gradients are very fluent and subtle which increase the feeling of depth and space, without distracting from the image on the canvas.

Arjen was born in the Netherlands. He is strongly influenced by the old masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. His work also draws from the principles of Dutch Design, which is characterized as minimalistic, experimental, innovative, quirky and humorous.