In the work of Ronald Ophuis (1968, NL) is always a tension between attraction and repulsion: the paintings contain a beauty but cause a shudder at the same time. With his distinctive paint treatment and meticulous compositions, Ophuis strategically makes use of that which the aesthetic of oil painting offers him. But the subjects he chooses are usually confrontational, expecting the viewer to take a stand on what is depicted. With the power of painting, Ophuis challenges the viewer to relate to the content of the work.
The artist often takes mankind’s alienation towards nature as a subject to paint, creating a connection with themes that normally are reserved for ‘volkskunst’. The paintings of the young calf, for example, feel mythical, almost like a disappearing archetype.