Joost Verhagen - Westhoek

'Westhoek' is part of the Zeeland abstract landscapes series, created in 2016 and 2017.
Technique: Modern acrylic painting technique using spatulas, dripping technique, and palette knives on premium canvas, finished with a medium-gloss varnish.

Joost Verhagen (born 1975) began drawing at a young age. This was no surprise, as drawing teachers and designers in his family encouraged him. His grandparents lived in Rotterdam. The large port made an impression on the boy—the skyline, ships, refineries, and terminals. On A3 sheets of paper, he drew cityscapes and skylines of large, fictional metropolises in pencil. An art academy in Rotterdam was the logical next step, but the program wasn't quite what he'd hoped for, and a career in real estate followed. One desire remained. After a previous backpacking trip through Australia, Joost Verhagen decided to emigrate there and work for several years as an infrastructure worker in the Outback. The rugged landscapes stayed with him when he returned to Europe. He picked up pencil and paper again. Brushes too. He studied classical painting at the Art Academy of Antwerp (Belgium) and graduated in 2019. Joost Verhagen is now a full-time painter based in Eindhoven (the Netherlands), and his modern landscapes are sold worldwide. His art has been exhibited in the Netherlands, Belgium, and India. In April 2021, he was named "Artist of the Month" by Online Gallery. The artist translates the modern landscape, a constant quest. With his iPhone camera, he searches for images that can be transferred from photo to canvas. His starting point is realism. With simple tools—just a brush, palette knife, and usually acrylic paint on linen—he attempts to transform the image into something fascinating, surreal, or alienating. Representation is paramount: the Golden Ratio is, of course, important, but according to Joost Verhagen, it shouldn't be the only way to achieve the final result. The artist will reach the edge of exaggeration, between realism and abstraction. In terms of color, anything is possible, from light to dark. The subject may seem grim, but it is not without hope. Images and forms must be real, not artificial. Joost Verhagen often finds this in desolate locations. "My starting point, at first glance, could be seen as tranquil, dull, or even uninspired. But it's not hopeless—things happen." Dynamism and progress are possible.' He prefers to work on canvas larger than 1 x 1 meter, pinned to the wall. Only after he has stretched the canvas on a frame. This gives him the freedom to revise the dimensions. Other themes include small landscape studies and portraits. These artworks also transform realism into abstraction. Joost Verhagen strives to be freed from the definitive. The artist draws inspiration from modern landscape painters such as Carla Klein, Jan Ros, Koen van de Broek, and Erin McSavaney. He is also inspired by the American photography of Gregory Crewdson. 'They are experts at alienating an everyday image to create great work.' His own work has been called Modern Edward Hopper.