rudy lanjouw

1954, Beilen, Nizozemí

The exhibition of Dutch artist Rudy Lanjouw in the Závodný Gallery slightly deviates from the usual concept of exhibitions presenting mostly pure geometric and constructive art.

The non-figurative artwork of Rudy Lanjouw is not easy to categorize or to classify. The core element in every stage of his artwork is an abstract, very dense painting.

Earlier in his career a certain reference to tachisme and lettrism can be perceived. Sand, paper scraps, cardboard cuttings are incorporated into the layers of coloured surfaces, simple symbols and letters appear in various works.

Progressively, the artist’s marks on the canvas become less visible to the viewer, the colour spectrum tends to be more monochromatic. Individual layers of paint superimpose each other, the viewer may feel as a participant in archaeological research, there are new things to discover with each new look at the painting.

In many of his paintings, Rudy Lanjouw was inspired by rhythm. The cadenced segmentation of his paintings often represents a paraphrase of musical compositions /the artist was influenced by the musical motifs of the Dutch contemporary classical composer Simeon ten Holt/, another time the paintings can reflect subtle vibrations of the inner mood of the author.

The structure of the drawings or paintings is often defined by geometric or amorphous lines together with contrasting colour areas, noticeable is the usage of the black colour. Horizontal or vertical division of the painted surface brings movement into the painting, along with the layering of the paints, it creates a feeling of another dimension in the artwork. The exhibition at Závodný Gallery also displays three-dimensional objects of Rudy Lanjouw.

Rudy Lanjouw's artworks are represented in many European institutions and private collections.

canvas, paper, paint, brush, more
it’s the beginning

and me 

building the work, layer after layer
nothing is already there, everything is open
each and every action creates and disturbs
concentration on what might be possible,
or not

decide 

R. L. 2016