For many, Veldhoen was above all a gifted etcher, whose incomparable work, through its daring choice of subject, bold rendering and great technical skill, makes him one of the greatest etchers our country has produced. Yet he also found early recognition as a painter. He himself saw the award of the Royal Subsidy for Painting in 1955 – he would win the prize three times – as the moment when his career as a painter finally got off the ground.
From the very first moment, Veldhoen focused on depicting visible reality. His preference for figurative art was instilled in him by his father, who put an end to his career as an advertising artist and started training at the National Academy. Veldhoen Sr. facilitated his son by providing drawing and painting materials, but did not actively interfere with his artistic development. As time went on, Veldhoen became increasingly opposed to his father. This is especially reflected in the bold choice of subject and the cheerful use of colour.
Veldhoen has always remained faithful to the figuration. He cited “the voyeurism inherent in portraying the world we live in” as the reason. For him, that was “a great and wonderful adventure, which one will look for in vain with Mondriaan and Pollock.” In his work, Veldhoen was mainly guided by his social compassion, his compassion for the weaker in society and his aversion to all authority, which partly had their origins in the communist background of his parents. When choosing topics, he often acted from an inner urge to expose abuses. Examples of this are the impressive series of six paintings on the theme of boat refugees and the series of work dedicated to the tragedy in Sbrenica.
The serial approach is a recurring phenomenon in his work. The most important series he produced include his ‘lifelong professions series’, his series of death portraits of friends and the series of cityscapes seen from ten of the most important Amsterdam hotels.
Of all the subjects Veldhoen painted, the woman is dearest to him. His work is rightly regarded as an ode to women. Early in his career as a painter, he revealed that he aimed to introduce a new type of woman, as Renoir, Picasso, Klimt and Matisse had previously done. However, by avoiding stereotypes and being guided by individual characteristics and specific circumstances, he achieved the opposite. There is no question of a woman type. We encounter women in all shapes and sizes, shapes and qualities. This staggering diversity is completely unique and can be entirely attributed to Veldhoen’s unbiased observation and his insatiable curiosity. Text By Ed de Heer
From the very first moment, Veldhoen focused on depicting visible reality. His preference for figurative art was instilled in him by his father, who put an end to his career as an advertising artist and started training at the National Academy. Veldhoen Sr. facilitated his son by providing drawing and painting materials, but did not actively interfere with his artistic development. As time went on, Veldhoen became increasingly opposed to his father. This is especially reflected in the bold choice of subject and the cheerful use of colour.
Veldhoen has always remained faithful to the figuration. He cited “the voyeurism inherent in portraying the world we live in” as the reason. For him, that was “a great and wonderful adventure, which one will look for in vain with Mondriaan and Pollock.” In his work, Veldhoen was mainly guided by his social compassion, his compassion for the weaker in society and his aversion to all authority, which partly had their origins in the communist background of his parents. When choosing topics, he often acted from an inner urge to expose abuses. Examples of this are the impressive series of six paintings on the theme of boat refugees and the series of work dedicated to the tragedy in Sbrenica.
The serial approach is a recurring phenomenon in his work. The most important series he produced include his ‘lifelong professions series’, his series of death portraits of friends and the series of cityscapes seen from ten of the most important Amsterdam hotels.
Of all the subjects Veldhoen painted, the woman is dearest to him. His work is rightly regarded as an ode to women. Early in his career as a painter, he revealed that he aimed to introduce a new type of woman, as Renoir, Picasso, Klimt and Matisse had previously done. However, by avoiding stereotypes and being guided by individual characteristics and specific circumstances, he achieved the opposite. There is no question of a woman type. We encounter women in all shapes and sizes, shapes and qualities. This staggering diversity is completely unique and can be entirely attributed to Veldhoen’s unbiased observation and his insatiable curiosity. Text By Ed de Heer
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