2nd Study After Velázquez, Francis Bacon & Sergej Eisenstein (2017) Painting by Pepijn Simon

Pepijn Simon is a contemporary Dutch painter. In his work he gives a central position to the human, but it's not looking at it from the outside, but exploring it from within. In Simon’s work there is a very interesting game played between the interior and exterior. The interior being the part that feels, loves, fears, reflects and judges, the exterior being the organic and material which reflects, stretches, rips and decays.

The new use of the cold and sterile aluminum refrigerates and reflects our own images. Some paintings show faces and bodies that have been ripped, cut, mutilated and seem to destroy the human, living aspect of the body. This disturbs the viewer as it generates a tormented, static representation to viewer and creates a unanimous reminder of death and a look in the subconscious mind in the form of faceless flesh. A viewer’s negative reaction or shock is a belief that they are being subjected to a visual attack from the artist. In truth, however the rejection and negativity is the result of subconscious awareness versus a conscious denial.

In his paintings we can see marks of alteration that have affected the canvas or the aluminum physically and that like our own bodies have been subjected to the effects of time and decay and show the capacity to heal. The changes that appear are like beautiful accidents and remind the observer of the uncontrolled dimension of the painting.

• Nationality: NETHERLANDS
• Date of birth : 1967
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Professional Artist Contemporary Dutch Artists