Kaj Derks

While a lot of people have already asked me if I’m aware of the fact that this may make people think it is a Mondrian rip off, I am happy to be back into applying de Stijl to my work. This is my main concern in painting, it is a language I am trying to learn.

-

After finishing this I have the exact feeling that I now know the answer of the question: why do I like the picture that I bought at the fleamarket in Berlin. Why did I pick this picture, among others, from a box with hundreds of pictures? Of course I could have explained this verbally but it would miss that what it makes it an image. If you want to answer this question without translating it to letters and words, than de Stijl is the language to communicate in.

-

Okay, the result is not the virtous picture with a shitload of expression or a deeper meaning and also not a social/politically engaged work. Now, it’s a reaction from itself about itself placing it somewhere in the universe.

-

At this moment I’d better shut up.

It is wellknow that most times a flash kills more than it adds to a photo. This picture was a great example for that.

-

The picture I used was flashed straight in the face, resulting in this lady in a uniformlike costume without an expression. Her face plain white like a mask.

-

Giving me the oppertunity to play around with a shitload of white paint. But on second hand, I think I should take it easy with the titaniumoxide.

-

With the other paintings to not overdo it.

The title has come to this with a little help from a Mexican friend. I needed her imput because the subject of this portrait would sure give me a bitching if I used her widespread language improperly. Not sure if I did it right but at least now I can blame someone else.

-

Okay, the little story that goes with the portrait. We were waiting for the bus out of Berlin, to Hamburg. It was midsummer, too hot to put in words, she had just gotten rid of her haste, after a busy weekend, by reaching the busstation on time leaving a small hour to catch up. Which was also short because I’d rather hang out with this hermosa for hours and days and weeks and stuff, but that on the side. In this short hour we got sushi, our usual communication problems, quality time, sunlight and the joy of being in eachothers’ presence on a brick wall that resembled a plant trough of which it’s content had become a symbol of faded glory. It was full of weeds yet on the flipside it could be said that nature had taken over, it has been said that I am an optimist.

-

Anyhow. Aware of the growing urge to paint portraits I asked her if I could take a picture of her. She went shy, a feeling that I can understand since it resulted in a stereotypical romantic setting of a young man with crappy-ass analog Pentax taking a photo of a very elegant young lady, and thus I went shy as well. The picture ended up very good and I won’t start rambling about the beautifull light and all because I do that all the time. The only thing there was is that I totally forgot which film I used to get this result. It could be some film that makes soft colors but it could as well be a film that I deliberately put on right in the sunlight to mess it slightly up. Who knows.

-

In the end I finished the last sushi and we walked to the bus. We hugged, threw her luggage in, hugged again and our hour was over. When I showed her the picture, I can recall her saying that she went a bit shy, this time I didn’t.

-

I decided to make it in oil paint » Continue Reading…

If Otto would be in his twenties right now, in Berlin where I bought this picture, he would be the boss of all hipsterparties.

-

This because of his epic moustache. It is for this reason that I bought his portrait.

-

I think he’s got a lot to thank his stache for. At least this painting.

While painting after an old portrait I bought on a fleamarket in Berlin I noticed the similarity with a friend called Eline. It’s not like two drops of water but nevertheless the idea got into my head and I decided it could stay.

-

No need to find another name for the painting if one has grown onto  one is it? Maybe I’ll call this one ‘Old old Eline’. Than Eline can decide for herself wether she identifies with it or not.

-

I don’t know what more to tell about this picture so it’s best to leave it to this.

No of course it wouldn’t make a meaningfull piece neither I find the composition very interesting.

But imagine how much fun it would be to paint this on gigantic canvas!

-

(I can, and would if I had the resources)