The use of Padouk in the works of Daan is special. There are currently just two works he made use of this extremely sustainable African-originated solid wood. In his new series, this is one of two.
Daan den Houter (Rotterdam, 1977) is a conceptual artist who works in a multidisciplinary way. In his oeuvre, the concept determines the medium he chooses. The layering of his art acts like a false flat at first glance; as a result, you, as a spectator, initially falter, only to regain your balance afterward. He incorporates humor, cynicism, and sharp contrasts into his images to make the viewer think about important themes such as money, identity, value, and generally accepted perceptions of these themes.
After his solos AND NOW WHAT (2018), SO WHAT (2021) SO THIS follows. A new series of stripe paintings, in which Den Houter takes the next, in-depth step in his epoxy in mahogany paintings.
After initially working in stripes, his research finds new forms that form his series within this series with titles such as Squiggles, Sticks, and Twists. The classification 'painting' evokes the association of oil on linen where the paint is on the canvas. Den Houter paints with his 'brushstrokes' in the material; the warm mahogany, with its natural grain, contrasts with the bright plastic colors.
Den Houter has lifted this new series to a masterful level.