The Wild

Anouk Griffioen, Jim Holyoak, Ed Pien, Sebstiaan Schlicher

drawings, work on paper

7 January through 4 February 2018

The wild has always fascinated man with its pureness and beauty but also frightened him because of the dangers it can pose. For centuries nature was dominant and potentially threatening but in our present time the tables have turned, civilisation increasingly corrupts and endangers the remaining areas of untouched nature.

In the work of the participating artists the wild comes in different shapes.
Jim Holyoak (1978) draws the vegetation and animals of the Canadian Forests from direct observation. He often does residencies in wild nature to study and capture the observe and sketch. His drawings are not merely registrations but also give room to the imaginary and at times allude to extinct species and life forms.

Fellow Canadian Ed Pien (1958) who has also often depicted forests in his work, now experiments with Atlantic Ocean water that he applies directly on black paper. After evaporation the water leaves traces of white salt crystals. He complements this random pattern with white ink to create cavern-like spaces where ghostly creatures appear.
Anouk Griffioen (1979) is known for her large format drawings of plants and forests that envelop the viewer. In the exhibition she will show a new work with rampant dead leaves that seem to transform into a wild creature.  Sebastiaan Schlicher (1975) presents the wild as a refuge for fanatics and survivalists who desperately try to fight the insignificance of their existence, away from civilization. As Patti Smith once described: “Outside of society they are waiting for me, outside of society is where I want to be”.