UNSEEN 2024 with an overview of work by Klaas Kloosterboer, dating from the 90-ties until now
Klaas Kloosterboer operates on the border between painting, sculpture, installation, video and photography, in which he continuously questions and challenges the boundaries and conventions of these disciplines. His versatile and idiosyncratic practice is characterised by a conceptual approach in which abstraction and action are central. The act of making plays an important role in this. Kloosterboer draws inspiration from the avant-garde movements of the twentieth century, which help shape his thinking and actions.
In his paintings and installations, Kloosterboer explores the essence of art and painting by examining fundamental elements such as form, colour and materiality. He also questions the underlying traditions and prejudices that go with this. He does this in a way that creates space and he seeks out the tension between construction, destruction and deconstruction. His work varies from large-scale, hand-sewn costume sculptures and processed objects trouvés to video installations in which he records specific processes and actions. By throwing paint or cutting or perforating canvases, he plays with space and the boundaries of painting. At the same time, he questions the traditional ways in which art is made and presented. The choices the artist makes in his studio play a central role and are always in dialogue with the material world.
His oeuvre is characterized by curiosity and a continuous search for innovation. Kloosterboer regularly challenges himself by formulating strict rules or assignments, which force him to approach his materials in a specific way. These sometimes playful instructions lead to works that are both spontaneous and well-considered: his practice appears intuitive and impulsive, but is also based on research, experiment and reflection.
The photographic sun triptych, which earned him a nomination for the Meijburg Art Commission 2024, seems at first glance to deviate from his earlier works, which often revolve around raw materials, destruction and a play with the conventions of painting. His earlier works often revolve around physical interventions, while this triptych seems more introspective, with a symbolism that is strongly focused on a universal, almost spiritual theme: the sun, an age-old symbol of life, cycles and blossoming, against a clear blue sky without a cloud in the sky. The work reflects Kloosterboer’s quest to redefine the ways in which art can convey an experience. This work is not about the perfect image of the sun, but about conveying sunshine to the mind. It emphasizes the importance of perception, action and reflection, and how these together can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. The sun becomes a concept that he psychologically deconstructs by using it as a form of therapy. This ties in with his focus on action as a central element, and is an attempt to convey light and positivity in a time that is characterized by negativity and uncertainty. He invites the viewer to reflect on what it means to thrive in a world full of challenges.
Klaas Kloosterboer was born in 1959 in Groot-Schermer. He completed residencies at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam and Villa Romana in Florence and his work was shown in a solo exhibition at the Kröller-Müller Museum in 2022. From 1995 he was a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague for many years. The artist's work is included in the collections of the Centraal Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, Museum Voorlinden, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and more.