EYE

Glance into the world behind the art

Herman van Hoogdalem paints live memories
HERMAN VAN HOOGDALEM / May 19th, 2017   


Herman van Hoogdalem is a watercolorist and painter from Groningen, whose works belomgs to the Northern Realism. He has become famous because of its sun-drenched interiors, portraits and beaches, with the light acting as a central theme. His works are exhibited in various galleries ans museums at home and abroad. From 19 May to 26 June, gallery Wildevuur will spotlight this northern master of light, during the exhibition ‘Limitless Space’. 

Northern Lights
Van Hoogdalem studied at the Minerva Academy in Groningen, where he graduated in the field of free painting, and from 1989 he also workes as a lecturer. As a painter, he is part of the Northern Realists. In the early 21st century, more and more Dutch artists turned to realism, in response to the predominantly abstract style at the Rijksacademie. This style flow moved after 1980 to the northeast of the Netherlands, where figurative artists literally sought and found space. Within Northern Realism, perception plays a dominant role. The result is true-to-life portraits, still life or landscapes. 

In his watercolors, Hoogdalem paints mainly coastal views and interiors. The transparent quality of watercolor paint enables him to play with light and dark in a variety of ways. The same light and dark play comes back in his paintings. The lightning kaleidoscope, both indoors and outdoors in nature, is a true fascination for Herman van Hoogdalem. In his most recent works, space is not abandoned, but does 'the woma' does make her entry as a living object in his interiors.


Portrait of Vlieland
In 2009, Herman Hoogdalem, in collaboration with Gijs Wanders, initiated the project 'Faces of Dementia'. This project included a series of large portraits of dementers with accompanying short documentaries, in which the family tells about the influence of dementia on their lives and those of their relatives. This intrusive portrait of blurring the human mind has led to numerous exhibitions in museums throughout the Netherlands and Germany.

Through the project  'Faces of Dementia' came the realisation that with the disappearance of the elderly a part of our collective memory also falls away. This statement motivated Elsje de Ruijter, conservator of Museum Tromp's Huys in East Vlieland, to set up the project 'Portrait of Vlieland'. She asked Herman van Hoogdalem, who painted for many years at Vlieland, to portray some 20 older Vlielanders, who still have a clear mind. In addition to the portraits, the oral history of Vlieland is recorded by means of short films and interviews with the painted seventy plus. The purpose of the project is to capture the collective memories of the time on the Wadden Island before they are lost forever. Museum Tromp's Huys will present the exhibition this year. 

More about Herman van Hoogdalem and his portrait of Vlieland can be found under: Portrait of Vlieland
 


Limitless Space
From 19th May gallery Wildevuur presents an overview of the latest works by Herman van Hoogdalem. The exhibition is on display in the gallery until 25th of June. Take a preview online now.

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