In the exhibition ‘Space in Between’, the refined objects of Eva Dijkstra contrast with the free paintings of René Korten.
The sculptures of Eva Dijkstra (NL, 1974) have a minimalistic appearance thanks to their geometric, sleek shapes. Her professional graphic practice is clearly recognizable in this. The works of art appear playful and airy, but do have a certain monumentality in them. Their hard core is made of MDF, which is tightly covered with canvas and painted in one or more monochrome, bright colours.
Each work is rooted in specific data, such as the ‘World Happiness Index’ or global temperature rise. Dijkstra dissects and translates these figures into precisely crafted diagrams, which are then transferred to the dimensions of the object. Her titles reveal something of the underlying theme.
René Korten (NL, 1957) paints his canvases in different directions with solid surfaces, in layers on top of each other and in transparent colours. His working process is characterised by spontaneous, but flowing and energetic movements on a smooth MDF surface. The transparent layers of paint dominate and move with their fluid properties towards a new reality.
A finished painting retains its vitality because it can flow further into other forms or new images. There is actually no beginning and no end. The image is soft in atmosphere and at the same time powerful in composition. Through abstraction, Korten leaves much room for freedom of ideas and interpretations. There are no dogmas in form or law, everything is open to all kinds of observations. His painting is a search for connection with the outside world.