The Dutch fine art painter Klaas Wiedijk achieved his reputation mainly through his still-life paintings. Although still-life is an age old genre, Wiedijk’s paintings are clearly identifiable as contemporary paintings. The light backgrounds against which the objects are outlined are characteristic of him, and the clarity of the objects depicted are striking.

 

Klaas Wiedijk was born in Hoogvliet (Rotterdam) in 1953. He sketched and painted from an early age and his First visit to an artist’s studio was enough to convince him that painting was what he wanted to do with his life. Wiedijk studied at the art Academy in Utrecht, where he attracted attention due to his realistic way of working. Wiedijk has never used his talent solely for true-to-life reproduction of still-life; surrealism also seriously appeals to him. Moreover, the artist feels the need to try something radically different from time to time and this can vary from totally abstract to sculpture.

Since several years Klaas Wiedijk has concentrated more on still-life and has developed into an absolute master of this genre.

 

Wiedijk composes his still-lives with the greatest of care. He is always on the lookout for interesting objects and sometimes takes days  arrange a balanced still-life. The direction in which a pear stalk protrudes or the contrast between two objects in front of one another; no detail eludes this artist. Wiedijk also pays great attention to the way in which the shapes relate to each other. He sometimes chooses an exuberant composition in which a great number of diverse objects are featured and at other times he prefers a subdued still-life in which just a couple of pieces of the same kind of fruit are presented in a delicate balance.

 

Wiedijk paints with the same dedication and attention that he puts into composing a still-life. The artist constantly succeeds in a sublime expression of the material, whether depicting an old enamel jug, a lace tablecloth or peach skin. The pursuit of perfection is always at the core of Wiedijk’s work method. He pays special attention to the contrasts in the paintings, because contrast provides dramatics and however harmonious this artist’s panels appear to be, there is always a shade of hidden tension.

 

To Klaas Wiedijk any object is interesting enough for a still-life. But irrespective of the choices he makes, it is his eye for detail that ensures that the objects chosen always seem to be in place in his compositions. A consummate painting technique an great sensitivity, project a real sense of tranquillity into this artist’s still-life paintings. The light and vivid colours with which these compositions are created ensure that Klaas Wiedijk’s paintings are suitable for any contemporary interior.

 

 

by Esther Nienhuis | cataloque Smelik & Stokking Galleries