The Laments of an Icarus a solo exhibition at Kenndey Van Der Laan gallery with artworks by Patrick Koster It is not often that you come across an artist who has been working in his studio for about twenty years. He has hardly ever shown that work before. More often it happens that artists come out a little too quickly with immature work.

It is also worth mentioning that in those years a close and consistent body of work has emerged. Patrick’s work is difficult to compare with the work of others. Yet Patrick Koster is not a hermit. He is in the middle of the world. runs a karate school. Patrick sees exhibitions, reads a lot and collects images and stories from the big world. Images from the world as they appear in our newspapers. He does not watch television.

Knives and scissors are his brushes

He compiles his own images from the folders and scrapbooks full of remarkable newspaper photos. Images which we quickly take for granted. This is done sketching, in pencil, then cutting and pasting until he likes it. Then he enlarges the sketch manually and “paints” with layers of colored, transparent film. Knives and scissors are his brushes. Adhesive plastic has something of the stickers that he already liked as a child and pasted everywhere. He pioneered a completely personal working method.

Issues about right and wrong

What motivates him are major social issues of good and evil. The derailed boys who cause so much suffering, with their acts of desperation or well-organized violent actions. Sometimes the images are taken from works of art history where murder scenes are depicted as heroes in war scenes.

Icarus

The large triptych in the restaurant entitled “Icarus” depicts the rescue operation of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 17 days in 2010 and were eventually lifted up one by one in a capsule. From darkness to light. The works are incredibly well composed, compositionally crystal clear and yet exciting, touching big things without being compelling. There is much to experience in many ways and to enjoy sophisticated use of color.

As an art committee, we consider ourselves lucky to see this work in The Laments of an Icarus see the light of day.  This work it deserves it. You will soon be warmly invited to meet the artist at a meeting in early November at Kennedy Van Der Laan.

Erik Mattijssen