Different outcomes with all the same packaging boxes from an AH verspakket, de-folded and re-arranged with an exploratory attitude to see what ingredients you can set out to make a painting without narrative.
This small framed painting is nummer 22 from the series, made with a de-folded cardboard packaging box. The work sizes 16 x 22cm and the wooden frame is 20 x 28 cm and comes with anti-glared glass. The collage contains pieces of a polyurethaan grocery bag and pieces of cardboard molded om the surface with paint used as glue. The image is build up harmoniously in different stages and can be turned all four sides, upside down, any which way you like it best. In the spirit of #artistsupportpledge, I can offer this small work for sale at a price of 150,- incl.
I started to make these framed works in the late winter of 2020, when pandemie still ruled the world and initiatives to put artists in the spotlight came across, such as artist support pledge. The plan was simple. Make an artwork to sell and share it on social media by using the hash-tack #artistsupportpledge. Which I did on my instagram account and sold 5 works. The price has to be under 200,- and if you sell for 1000,- in total, you pledge to buy another artwork of one of your colleagues. This was all to support artists in the time when every gallery was closed and there was no other way to exhibit your art. You can all read about it on www.artistsupportpledge.com
The compositions were a real experiment for me to work with. It was such a simple subject by using a packaging box from cardboard, which I unfold to make it as a canvas and use the rest pieces cardboard to make the compositions. Along the way, when im painting and things start to happen, other materials came into the picture. Every work stands on his own by the different appearances, but they come from the same process. That makes me want to continue still, because every little stroke of paint, little added pieces of paper, make such a difference. It changes all the time, till the work is completely balanced for me.
These framed works come in a wooden frame with glare-free glass and are friendly priced 150,- euro (inc. vat) The frame (20x28cm or 21x30cm) comes in natural wood, white or black and is included in the price.
If your interested i’m always happy to answer your questions you might have. Send me an email on august_robin@hotmail.com
A serie of concept painting on cardboard ‘verspakketten’ from a big grocer in the Netherlands. AH! A way to recycle packaging material and to paint on something different than prepared linnen. The concept is that I deconstruct the verspakket box and cut out the four corners which I use as a pattern at random to make an image. it is the combination of the paint and the cardboard that I find very attractive. Often the paint becomes the glue to stick the different collage-like parts to the new surface. And from scratch everything is open for me to decide on. Colour, composition, added materials, strokes fine and rough. The simple effect of paint and colour and the way the elements are making an image.
Here are 4 short video’s that were produced to accompany the exposition ‘Gevonden werk / Found work’ in Cultura Ede, last June 2021. It’s a short introduction to me and my work, made by Annique Mijnen en Bart.
About the exposition:
About the process of making:
About being an artist:
About inspiration:
An intro to my past solo exhibition in the gallery section of ‘Cultura Ede’ which is a cultural centre in Ede and contains a Theatre, Cinema, Library, Café and Activity centre. I was asked in January of 2020 to take part in this exposition which was set to be openend in march of 2020. Due to the first Corona outbreak of that year, it was delayed because the building had to be closed for public. We had to wait to next fall and in November 2020, I could finally build up.
After making new work as well as refine existing artworks, I had to fill two large spaces in the gallery areas. I went with a bus and two helpers, loaded with artworks, some newly framed, all provided with hanging systems and a big sculpture specially made for this purpose. This was my first solo exhibition. The title ‘Found work’ was chosen to emphasize the proces of making, which in my case has a lot to do with combining coincidence en choice.
Under pandemic circumstances (no opening, no drinks, mouth-mask) it openend at 21 November 2020 and was scheduled for 6 weeks in the winter, ending on the 2 January 2021. Although we did not expect it at the beginning, the exhibition had to close after 3 weeks open, due to new regulations concerning the increase of covid-19 infections. Planned workshops and guided tours could not take part anymore.
Successfully I had welcome some visitors, friends in the first 3 weeks who were able to visit, luckily. Followed by an extended and hard lockdown in the begin of the year 2021, we thought we could open again end of January, maybe February, March? It ended up staying closed till the re-opening in June. Another 3 weeks from the 5th of June 2021 started and made the six weeks of the exposition full, but we were 7 months down the road. It was hard to cope with the uncertainty and the fact that there were works of me hanging and standing in a closed building and I lost connection with what I was doing or where to go. it was difficult to find the energy to go open again after such a long time. To create new energy we made some nice artist presentation videos of me and my work, which I will share in a later blog.
Now a half year later it all has come down a bit, and I realize how special it was to have had this opportunity. You learn so much from making an exhibition and it is important to have reactions from viewers. Work outside your atelier is so much more vulnerable when it is exposed to critics and other demands made by different environments. I have felt I have been a little let down by people who did not come to see the show, which was very important to me and I had put so much energy to. But I am proud that the works did show the quality I put into it and it showed off despite the circumstances, which were not ideal but worthwhile.
I am also happy with the positive feedback and comments I got from my visitors and two buyers who bought an artwork. I can only dream of such a chance to show so much of what I am doing. That special moment when it all comes together, it does not happen all the time. It takes a lot of work.
This work is a my painted version of a photo that was shared in the world by the media at the time a well know maverick was suddenly being hospitalized with a presumably intoxication during the COVID-19 pandemie, somewhat a year ago now. Driven by my heartfelt worries about the subject of the matter and the whole mystery surrounding it, I just had to paint this newsphoto to try to comprehend what was going on here. It took me some time to finish it. Work was made between september 2020 and february 2021.
augustrobinpeters 