A former assistant of Anselm Kiefer, Jarik Jongman uses both his own photographs and anonymous pictures found in flea markets, books, magazines and the internet as a starting point for his work, which often deals with archetypical imagery.
The “phenomena” depicted in his ongoing series of paintings of motel rooms are metaphysical in nature, that is to say, they appear as ghostly clouds or flashes of mysterious light.
To paraphrase Werner Heisenberg: ‘What we observe is not reality itself but reality exposed to our method of questioning’.
Moreover, these motel rooms allude to the transience of existence. They could be viewed as an allegory of the temporary dwelling place, both for man in his individual life and as a species in this universe, in which we are merely (?) a brief flash of light.
Another, recent series of works depicts (groups of) people waving.
Although the act of waving can be interpreted as both cheerful and sad, it is more a feeling of melancholia and tragedy that prevails in these latest paintings. The people portrayed in these works are gazing at the viewer directly, causing an uncanny, mirror-like sensation, evoking thoughts about transience and ephemerality.
It is as if the people in these paintings are waving from another world, another realm of existence. They have crossed over into eternity leaving the viewer in the gallery with thoughts on his own mortality and being.
Dutch born, he studied in Arnhem and has had numerous exhibitions in London, Berlin, Switzerland, Amsterdam and at the 53rd (2009) and current 54th Venice Biennale in a collateral event.
In 2010 he won joint first prize for best artist at the National Open Art Competition, juried by Gavin Turk.
He lives and works in London and Amsterdam and is represented by WW Gallery in the UK and Kap Pur Gallery in the Netherlands.
All work on this site is oil on canvas except:
Parental Guidance series, Travelling Light series, Afternoon Tea series, Hello Goodbye 2-6, El olvido que seremos 1-6, Phenomena 9-11.
(Oil on photographic print).