“Aaron van Erp”
Opening Reception:
Saturday April 25th 2009, 4 – 6 p.m.
at C-SPACE
Exhibition:
April 25th –May 24th 2009
Tue – Sun, 11 – 6 p.m.
The artist will attend the opening.
Author of text in catalogue: Rogier Ormeling
C-SPACE is proud to present a solo show consisting of both new and earlier paintings by the young Dutch artist Aaron van Erp. Aaron van Erp recently has had great success with several exhibitions in renowned museums and galleries both in The Netherlands and abroad. Last year he has had a large scale solo exhibition in The Gemeentemuseum in The Hague as well as solo presentations in such important galleries as Speronewestwater in New York and Ibid Projects in London. His work has earlier also been presented by Jan Hoet in the MARTa Herford (Germany).
The paintings of Aaron van Erp contain dark and violent narrative elements but are! also absurd. This absurdity applies not only to the way in which he depicts his half painted figures but also to the titles that he sometimes uses for his works, such as "Young lady about to smash a lobster" or "Monkey on a string". With this combination of violence and absurdity he creates an uncomfortable and disconcerting atmosphere for the viewer.
Despite the fact that Van Erp’s oeuvre can be regarded as a severe indictment against man, it is not merely a matter of an oppressive, guilt-ridden atmosphere. Therefore his style is too endearing. This is not only caused by his loose, even clumsy-looking touch, but also by the apparent simplicity of the abstracted compositions. And then those colors that are having their own exuberant party, after all, from the perspective of amoral nature there is nothing serious going on, it does not distinguish between creation and destruction. Aesthetically the world is entirely acceptable!