"Alchemy is a kind of philosophy: a kind of thinking that leads to a way of understanding" (Marcel Duchamp) For his first solo show in Israel, van den Boog pushes the limits of portraiture by directly confronting emotion head-on by way of large-scale paintings. New ways of seeing, generated through a personal process, have always rewarded the viewer with new insights. Dutch painter, Piet van den Boog has found a new interpretation of the portrait by way of an alchemic process that promotes effects of chemistry on the picture plane. A modern day alchemist, van den Boog's experiments with base metals like lead, copper and steel form a grand visual allegory of personal transmutation and the quest for a cure for the human soul. Oil and acrylic paint make up flesh tones and facial details, while abstract strokes in rust tones are chemically etched into the cold lead surfaces, becoming a powerful metaphor for the internal scars we all possess. (Text by Alan Katz)
Curated by Yaron Haramati
Piet van den Boog
׳The Alchemist׳
Opening Reception:
Thursday, Nov. 26 at 8pm
Zemack Contemporary Gallery
Tel Aviv
Israel For more info: Visit the Event Page on Facebook