Wilgo Vijfhoven “Untitled”

On the17th of March the Readytex Art Gallery will launch a new solo exhibition by well known Surinamese artist Wilgo Vijfhoven. With this exhibition, named ‘Untitled’, a spectacular and colorful start is given to the gallery’s 2009 exhibition year. Striking colors, intriguing compositions and a theme that has fascinated mankind through the ages, make the collection in this exhibition a guaranteed success.

Wilgo Vijfhoven admits to a powerful fascination with the theme that once again during this exhibition has dominated his creative process. Women…… Although Wilgo has always portrayed his obsession and admiration in his art, the style and the methods – although distinctively Wilgo – have seen some subtle transformations over the years. Whereas in the past his work sometimes exuded a somber mood with its dark hues and subtle references to women in difficult or repressive social situations, the work now has a different feel to it. The artist’s contemplations of the less fortunate socio-economic situation of many women in Surinamese society today have not determined the direction of the work in his latest collection. “For this exhibition I have been led simply by my love and fascination for women. Women anywhere, regardless of background or circumstance.”

Characteristic for work by Wilgo Vijfhoven is the distinctive figurative style in which he portrays his subjects. Although the images very obviously and very sensually depict the female form, she appears on canvas only in subtle suggestive silhouettes, involving most often just the body or parts thereof with the curious absence or a face. According to the artist there is a simple explanation for this. “The women in my paintings can potentially represent any and every woman; my fascination for women knows no distinction; not in reality and not on canvas either”. In unmixed acrylic paint Wilgo Vijfhoven paints his sensual subjects in striking red against a bright yellow background. Grassy green in some places makes a subtle reference to nature and other hues and effects instinctively come to life while painting. Striking example thereof is the particular dark drip effect which appears sometimes randomly, but often consciously around the head of his subjects, giving the paintings a mysterious and curiously weighted atmosphere. Upon careful inspection other carefully disguised and subtle elements such as fish can also be detected amongst the clever compositions in the paintings by Vijfhoven.     
With his unique style Wilgo Vijfhoven is always capable of creating an aura of mystery and the paintings in the collection of “Untitled” each own a magnetic quality which keeps the viewer – often in search of the story behind the woman on the canvas – mesmerized. This mysterious quality, the sensual feminine shapes and the spectacular color contrasts make for a visually striking collection.
With the purpose of creating a calmer compliment to the strong colors of the majority of paintings in the exhibition, the artist has added several paintings in more neutral, cooler hues to the collection. With large, slightly more abstract paintings done in heavily diluted acrylics in soft blue, grey and white tones which form a soft backdrop to dominant black forms, and an interesting texture achieved with subtle collage techniques, these paintings add great dramatic effect to an already striking collection.   

Intense and bold, in color as well as in subject, the work by Wilgo Vijfhoven exudes an unmistakable force of attraction which will leave very few unaffected. The Readytex Art Gallery encourages each and everyone to visit this special exhibition. The exhibition is open to the public from Wednesday the 18th until Tuesday the 31st of March during the regular opening hours of the gallery. These are from Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and on Saturdays from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm. The Readytex Art Gallery is located on the Maagden straat 44 upstairs, in the Readytex department store.