A subtle interplay of light and shadow. A deserted beach. Silent trees in a forest. In an increasingly busy world, Christiaan Kuitwaard seeks silence. His paintings bear witness to this. Despite all the variety, the retrospective exhibition of Kuitwaard’s art at Museum JAN in Amstelveen is above all a plea for slowing down and deepening our understanding.
Viewing experience
The paintings of Christiaan Kuitwaard (1965) are always based on observation. ‘My work is figurative,’ says the artist. ‘You see what it represents. But I don’t tell stories. I am an observer and I report on what I see.’ He strives to create an image that provides just enough information to capture the viewing experience and allow it to be relived over and over again. ‘To create an image that stays with you, it is necessary to remove as much noise as possible. You have to quiet it down.’
After-image
Kuitwaard is fascinated by the interplay of light and shadow, which makes things visible and at the same time constantly changes them. In his still lifes, interiors and landscapes, space is defined by gradations of light and dark. Forms are blurred. The use of colour is deliberately limited and subdued. Details are touched upon at most, not elaborated. Kuitwaard reduces visible reality to the strictly necessary, like an after-image on the retina. His paintings thus transcend reality, but without losing touch with it.
Refuge
The exhibition at Museum JAN covers a period of more than thirty years of painting. ‘I don’t necessarily want to express something, but rather evoke something, namely silence – for myself and for others.’ In a society dominated by commotion and spectacle, Kuitwaard’s paintings offer a welcome refuge.
White box paintings
A separate group within his oeuvre are the white box paintings, an ongoing series of still lifes based on a fixed concept: a white-painted object in a white box measuring 28 x 20 cm. Kuitwaard started this series in 2010. Within the self-imposed limitation, he constantly searches for new ways to depict a random object – a block, a flower, a skull. With an average of one still life per week, the series is approaching 700. Nos. 392 to 668 are being shown for the first time at Museum JAN.
Outdoor studies
A third group of works consists of small-format paintings created in the open air, mostly in Friesland, Scotland, Cornwall and Normandy. ‘In outdoor studies, observing and painting come together. You become completely absorbed in it. So it’s also a form of tranquillity.’ Some studies end up in books about the fragility of nature, in collaboration with poet Jan Kleefstra.
Deeper understanding
Christiaan Kuitwaard’s artistic mission is as clear as it is modest: ‘I hope that my paintings invite people to pause more often and reflect on the world around us. Because only by slowing down, you can achieve a deeper understanding. Then all of a sudden you will see so much more.’