Since it is not clear how Van Gogh really looked like (his self-portraits do not necessary represent reality), so too shall the portraits by Van Empel be imaginary and even include references to Van Gogh paintings. Van Empel also investigated Van Gogh’s painting technique to weave this knowledge in the layering of his photographic material. The final portraits by Van Empel of the famous painter will be molded, cut, shaped and colored.
For this exhibition, Van Empel also produced a series of photographic works based on landscapes and still lifes by Van Gogh. There are interpretations of 'Sunflowers in a vase', 'Butterflies and poppies', 'Grass ground', 'Flowering peach tree', 'Wild roses with beetle' and 'The old yew tree'. These motifs show his strong affinity with Van Gogh. They remind us of the region of Brabant where Vincent and Ruud van Empel grew up.
Both share the same love for the nature in this area: open fields with farmlands, ploughing horses and wheat fields; a display of colour, form, and texture. In summer it offered a palette of green with pops of muted colour; in winter it showed its heavy tapestry of golden brown and black chunks of clay and soil.