‘Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything’ translates into new abstract self-portraits in which an interaction unfolds between straight and spontaneous lines. In search for that sublime experience of the in-between, the spontaneous lines alternate with the straight. The colours go up against the white paint, while the pattern is constantly in conflict with its breakthrough. To take the viewer into that moment of in-between, I also created sound and video works to complement and oppose the creative process.
The Abstract Self-Portrait emphasis on the experience of the (painting) process. By literally transforming painting Say Yes When You Want To Say No #6 into video and sound, the painting unfolds with each added layer. The video constructs moments of contradictions and connections between process and result, painting and sound and between myself and the viewer.
Say Yes When You Want To Say No is a work of art that includes a series of paintings and short videos. The paintings are a result of the interaction between my obsessive perfectionism and searching for ways to oppose it.
Located in the heart of Amsterdam, lies De Tandwielenfabriek (an old sprocket factory). This industrial complex was given a new purpose for housing in 2015. I created a pattern and colour-combination that reflects the owner’s interests as well as the characteristic factory details of red bricks and dark steel constructions. In addition, I translated the steel structure into a geometric pattern of parallelograms to complement the 7 meter high walls and to create that in-between experience with the surrounding space.
If You Can’t Be Good, Be Weird consists out of four paintings in which I further explored the tensions of my obsessive perfectionism. In each of these paintings I deliberately used tape in the first layer, because of the risk that paint would slide underneath. So when the first layer was finished, I started rebuilding the grid without tape and added new colours to different locations on the canvas.
For the introduction of Glenfiddich’s newest Whisky flavours in Amsterdam, I was commissioned to create an experience during a tasting session. In an enclosed space covered by painting ‘If You Can’t Be Good, Be Weird #1’, guests could taste the new Experimental Series.
I was commissioned by Buutvrij for life to create a wall painting for their office in Amsterdam. The façade of this advertising agency was embellished with ugly tags and as Reuben Alexander, co-founder of Buutvrij for life said: “At Buutvrij we solve creative puzzles every day, and always with a positive twist. The outside of our office was also a bit of a puzzle. Because it has been used in recent years as a kind of scrap sheet for beginning graffiti artists. The façade looked horrible and if you clean such a wall, it’s immediately an invitation for new tags.”
Notes To Myself marks the first series of paintings in which I started exploring with the boundaries of my obsessive perfectionism. The idea was to start with a specific color combination in a triangle pattern and gradually change the appearance. Each work evolved out of a dynamic process from the beginning to the end.
The exploration in my own painting process, also extends to my artistic practice and position as an artist. I react to contradictions I come across in daily life in such a way that it can broaden my perspective and that of the viewer. For the series Notes To Myself, I used the painting as an object and I placed it opposite of printed media as a new contradiction.
Artist Daan Roukens paints unique artwork on Amsterdam salon façade. After waiting 8 years for permission from the municipality, it’s finally official: Amsterdam’s leading hair salon Tommy’z Toko gets a new façade. Owner Tommy Hagen got none other than artist Daan Roukens to take on the challenging design.
A selection of work from 2008 till 2015 ranging between autonomous and commissioned work. A variety in sizes from small watercolor paintings to bigger paintings in egg-tempera and oil.
The installation We Are All In This Together was made during a work period of two months in an authentic Chinese ceramics factory. In collaboration with the local workers I developed these spheres with the natural clay and glazes that are typical for the Yixing region.
Prelude is about a bird who is viewing himself in the mirror and repeats it over and over. The projected video is divided by mirrors to create a double diversity. The image is split on the exact spot where the bird disappears and reappears in the mirror. By placing these new frames at opposite positions the bird flies figuratively speaking through the room.
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