Cityscapes

Voorburg, centre

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Burgemeester van der Werffpark - LEIDEN

“The painting starts to brew in my head, when the attendant in the Lakenhal enthusiastically starts telling about that Master Van Bree, from Antwerp, Mayor Van der Werff in his historical piece ‘Mayor Van der Werf offers his sword tot the people’, has described the Hooglandse kerk quite accurately. Then again, the square where he himself is situated at that moment is probably nowhere to be found in Leiden though. We think we recognise the large market of Antwerp. – On the way to Hans Bik I reflect on the Hooglandse kerk, that it could easily be placed in classical Leiden. The animalistic, tacky orange light boxes of the pet shop are similarly stimulating for a radiated painters head; that has had some jars of ‘reflex paint’ ready for action for some time now. I have maintained, and somewhat exaggerated the overpowering placing of the Hooglangse kerk, Van der Werff I’ve placed in his own park. In between I’ve had to leave out a lot, to create the space I deem important. When I’ve been messing around with this painting for a few weeks already, I come to realise that the Breestraat, that I’ve left out, most probably was named after Van Bree. ” J.V.

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The Passenger - PRINS CLAUSPLEIN, The Hague

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It Smells Like Victory - SPUI, The Hague

“The bright colous of the modern architecture stimulate me, after the classical squares like Voorhout and the Lange Vijverberg. I wanted to see if I could make a painting about Spui that would please me. The diamond pattern on the Dr. Anton Phillipszaal made for the organic decision of placing the work on it's point. The primary colours, connected to modernism are also natural. The perspective is impossible, but when you stand in front of that canvas, that you stand there at the Spui. Me, I can stand in front of that painting for ages, while I never have the disposition to slow my pace at the Spui itself.” J.V.

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Rijswijkse plein - The Hague

“I care about moving people with my paintings. I've seen a large Belgium fellow burst out in tears in front of my ‘Rijswijkseplein’. It's enough for me to know that I've managed to touch one person in such a way as Rembrandt did for me as a ten year old boy.” J.V.

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Nine to Five - PLEIN, The Hague

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Willem Witsenplein - The Hague

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Kneuterdijk - The Hague

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Lange vijverberg - The Hague

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Hollands spoor - The Hague

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On the road again - UTRECHTSE BAAN, The Hague

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Lange voorhout - The Hague

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Malieveld 1 - The Hague

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Malieveld 2 - The Hague

“When you confess to a temporary acquaintance in a bus of a train that you're a painter, it's delightful to answer the obvious what-do-you-paint-question with a firmly spoken 'NOTHING'. - It started with the anticipating 'nothing' of the empty Malieveld and with everything of the city behind it. Even emptier I remember the Malieveld with the emptiness of the Benoordenhout behind it. The Hague is the perfect city to place emptiness. Because of the classical income gap between the regents and the middle class, there's never a roaring laugh heard in the trams in The Hague. In The Hague you dream from the Raamweg till the Westeinde.” J.V.

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Going Home - The Hague