Rozendaal City found it's place

Within the perspective of the project "AIR-Zuidwaarts/Southbound" I've created three paintings and four photographic images. The theme is the urbanization of the south flank of Holland's Randstad and of the delta between Rotterdam and Antverp. A focal point is the island south of Rotterdam known as the Hoeksche Waard, a chiefly agricultural area where encroaching urbanization is making itself felt.

I grew up on a farm in Piershil, the youngest in a family of sixteen children. When I was about fifteen my father sold the farm. Barely three weeks later it burnt down completely. Now I had no reason at all to return to this place anymore.
Nevertheless, more than fifteen years later I'm going there again. Only now I see the influence of the landscape on my current work as a painter. In the city I still miss the space which is so abundant here. As a result of a yourney to Canada I painted a number of "empty" landscapes. Now this journey to Canada actually turns out to have been redundant. The effect of the landscape in the Hoeksche Waard is exactly the same. Especially in an area like Brede Hoek, where we had our meadow, and where stillness and emptiness still reign. This emptiness provides me with a feeling of freedom and unlimited possibilities. The moment you feel very insignificant in this landscape you don't vanish but you yourself become the centre.
Despite the fact that I sometimes miss this landscape, I wouldn't be able to live in a village like Piershil anymore. The oppressive feeling of the village atmosphere, which I had left behind, comes over me rather quickly as soon as I'm there again. But, fortunately I'm prepared for it. I've my own town, Rozendaal City, with me. Rebuilt in such a way that it fits exactly on the piece of land that used to belong to our farm. Enjoying the fantastic outside view from within my city everything seems beautifully solved.