Christiaan Kuitwaard – Stilteschilder

A subdued play of light and shadow. A deserted beach. Silent trees in a forest. In an increasingly busy world, Christiaan Kuitwaard seeks silence. His paintings bear witness to this. Additionally, with his series of 'white box paintings', he continually challenges himself to find new ways to depict reality. And with his outdoor studies, he draws attention to the vulnerability of nature. Despite all the variety, the retrospective exhibition of Kuitwaard's art at Museum JAN in Amstelveen is above all a plea for slowing down and deepening. Viewing experience The paintings of Christiaan Kuitwaard (1965) are always based on observation. “My work is figurative,” says the artist. “You can see what it represents. But I don’t tell stories. I am an observer, and I report on that looking.” In doing so, he strives for an image that provides just enough information to retain the viewing experience and allow it to be relived again and again. In this way, he tries to circumvent the transience of the moment and, as it were, stretch time a little. “To create an image that stays with you, it is necessary to remove as much noise as possible. You have to still it.” Afterimage Kuitwaard is fascinated by the interplay of light and shadow, which makes things visible while simultaneously constantly changing. In his still lifes of everyday objects such as a chair or a cup and saucer, the image is primarily constructed from gradations of light. Similarly, in his interiors and landscapes—mostly beach and forest scenes—the space is defined by gradations of light and dark. Forms are blurred. The use of color is deliberately limited and subdued. Details are merely touched upon, not fully developed. Kuitwaard reduces visible reality to the bare minimum, like an afterimage on the retina. His paintings thus transcend reality, yet without losing contact. Sanctuary The exhibition at Museum JAN spans a period of over thirty years of painting. A steadily growing number of enthusiasts attests to the great appeal of Kuitwaard’s art. The artist considers it important that people can also express their own thoughts, experiences, or emotions through his work. “It might be sacrilege to some, but I do not really believe in art as a purely individual expression. I do not so much want to express something as to evoke something, namely silence, for myself and for others.” In a society dominated by commotion and spectacle, Kuitwaard’s paintings offer a welcome refuge. White box paintings A distinct group within the oeuvre consists of the 'white box paintings,' an ongoing series of still lifes based on a fixed concept. That concept involves painting a white-painted object inside a white box on a format of 28 x 20 cm. Kuitwaard began this in 2010. Within this self-imposed limitation, he constantly seeks new ways to depict any object—a block, a flower, a skull. Sometimes he paints only a shadow, sometimes only the outline, in shades of gray or in vibrant colors; sometimes sharp, sometimes blurred. With an average of one still life per week, the series is approaching the number of 700. Numbers 392 through 668 are being shown for the first time at Museum JAN. The accompanying publication features texts by well-known writers who have been inspired by the still lifes. Outdoor studies A third group of works consists of small-format paintings created 'en plein air' – in the open air. Most were created in Friesland, where Kuitwaard lives, or during trips to Scotland, Cornwall, and Normandy, among other places. “With the outdoor studies, looking and painting coincide,” he explains. “You become completely absorbed in it. So that is also a form of stillness.” Some studies end up in books that draw attention to the vulnerability of nature, for which the painter collaborates with poet Jan Kleefstra. Others serve as a source of inspiration for studio paintings. Floor Christiaan Kuitwaard’s artistic mission is as clear as it is modest: “I hope that my paintings invite people to…