KARIN HOOGESTEGER

To behold the paintings of Karin Hoogesteger is to undoubtedly sense that there lies more beneath the surface than just the images that are visible. Here is a world depicted, originating from our visible world – plants, trees, a cabin in the woods – yet beyond this, one often finds themselves in a realm more commonly encountered in dreams or myths. The paintings evoke a feeling of mystery, of melancholy. Not always light, and at times with elements that reveal seemingly different dimensions than initially perceived. This is quite understandable considering the source of inspiration. Hoogesteger approaches painting like she would philosophy: through her works she digs into the core of existence. The process matters more than the result itself. Hoogesteger’s paintings contain geometric shapes, organic plant motifs, and (sun)light as recurring elements. While her usual technique involves paint on canvas, Hoogesteger is not averse to using other materials. She often incorporates charcoal or pencil, (rice) paper, ink, varnish, bister and pigment powder.

The central theme in Karin Hoogesteger’s work is the eternal tension between culture and nature. Her more recent paintings go back to the past, to the era of the ‘New World’ – a time of promise and appropriation, of flora and violence. A lost paradise resounds; a world once considered pristine is entered and mapped. But with the urge to explore also came domination. In the name of civilization and progress, landscapes were conquered, rewritten and exported. The paintings depict a lush world in blending layers. Over floral tapestry patterns grows decayed nature from exotic places, often jungles. The paint is watery and soft, the images fragile, like memories slowly fading away. Another history also lurks in the paint; of ancient carpets that tell of luxury, power and money.