Painting is still fascinating and lively in this digital age. And why? Because matter in painting is very direct and tangible. Look at the structure of the paint layers that are applied to the wearer, and the senses are triggered. The sense of smell also brings you closer to the act of the painter himself. That makes a painting so fascinating and lively. In art circles, painting is seen as a precursor to photography.
Photography was invented in the early 19th century by the Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce with his 'camera obscura'. The first digital photo camera came in the 80s and ten years later the dark development lab became superfluous due to the rise of Adobe Photoshop. Everything is continuously subject to change. Man examines it and tries to adapt to that new environment. Nothing will stay the same forever. And man will always ask questions.
In photography, a crucial role is reserved for looking and experiencing the image. Photographer and filmmaker Shigeo Arikawa (1982, JPN) investigates the perception of the image. Or in other words: how do we see that the image is 'true'? He manipulates his photographs and plays with illusion. Arikawa puts our consciousness to the test. Do we look at what we see well enough? Are we capable of perception without being continuously influenced by our personal history or prejudices? How sure are we about what we see? Arikawa creates images that are not so obvious.
Everything is possible in the paintings of Bas Wiegmink (1977, NLD). Nature gets the power to evolve. Vegetation undergoes genetic changes. The sky reflects in fantastic colors, the earth radiates. Traces of humanity testify to a certain 'civilization'. The message could be: 'do not be afraid of the future, because we will survive'.
Wiegmink paints with a lot of contrasts in an exuberant romantic color palette, sometimes even fluorescent. The cinematic and dreamy way of painting makes it interesting. Trees and plants grow wildly between buildings. The exuberant flora has taken all the space, sometimes you also see remains of human life. This contrast betrays the ambiguity of reality: a warning or an optimistic Arcadia.