Statement

My work is characterized by projects. Every project has a serial character with a series of paintings. Within each painting project I mostly use restrictions – rules to play by. These frameworks provide the ability to increase the intensity of my working method.

Exposing the poetic value of everyday life often forms the basis of my work – combined with my fascination for the love/hate relationship that I have with painting itself. Within my projects I give specific goals to the painting medium. In this realm, I have made a painting to say I am sorry to all of those whose birthday I missed.

Further, for a year straight, I painted all of my image uploads on Facebook. And, I made a New Year’s conference-triptych in which I looked back on all the ups and downs of 2013. When I lose realism in my paintings, due to fatigue, I start my battle with vanity – my artist’s vanity and the vanity of my subjects. Stillness and stiffness is inevitable and may prevail.

Alex Baams