The freedom of the unfinished in Gideon’s paintings

In his work, Gideon van Gameren (Fine Art student at AKI ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design) uses partially finished elements as a visual device, combining personal subject matter with painterly techniques.

“My work is about the relationship between family, home, and workspace. There is a kind of tension between work and home. What is a workshop, and what is the backyard of your childhood home? How do these spaces interact? To me, it feels natural that these are not clearly separated things, but that everything flows into one another. I paint scenes, for example of my father working on a camper van. In one of my paintings, you see a very familiar and domestic scene for me: on a warm summer evening, my father and I are working on a car in the backyard. That scene is very close to me, very personal, exactly how I feel. Maybe that is why it is not immediately clear to others, or perhaps you only start to see it when you look at it for longer.”

“I explore how I can use the unfinished as a visual element. I do this very literally, for example by leaving parts empty or by adding sketch-like lines. Sometimes you can still see the print of the duvet underneath the canvas, and I try to use that intentionally. The unfinished creates a sense of freedom, and I want to carry that feeling of instability into my work. It is also unfinished in the sense that the viewer has to complete it with their own eyes. I have learned to listen to a painting, to understand what it needs. Like the large flat areas contrasting with the sketches, the quick and fleeting brushstrokes, and the clashing colours. You leave it as it is, look at it, you do not force anything onto it or push it through, but instead you have to listen to the work. Then it always feels truthful and right.”

“It is very important for me to talk with others about each other’s work and to listen to different interpretations or ways of looking. It gives me new insights and something to build on, to continue researching and developing my work.”