Perspective and space in the play of painterly collages

It often takes some time to decipher Alexandra Verkerk's paintings and her compositions, which at first glance may seem a bit confusing. Once this has been achieved, however, many a viewer is likely to experience a happy smile of recognition. The works show ubiquitous motifs from nature, architectural representations, details of interiors, and geometric elements, often combined in unconventional ways. Both the spatial depth and the perspective on the individual elements of the composition break with our viewing habits. Height and depth sometimes merge seamlessly, angles tilt, and near and far meet in surprising ways.

They are almost painterly collages that arise in the Amsterdam studio of the Argentine-born artist. In them, finely wrought details meet stylized abstraction, delicate floral motifs meet reduced geometric surfaces. The impression of an image composed of numerous individual perspectives is further emphasized in the artist's more recent works, which combine oil painting with textiles. Despite their fragmentary character, the works are highly coherent. They don't look anything like random arrangements. Rather, it seems inevitable that landscape and nature, space and perspective can only meet in the way Verkerk presents them.

Learn more about the artist: Alexandra Verkerk