From February 14 to June 25, 2017, the Drents Museum presents work by one of the best still life painters in the Netherlands. The Arnout van Albada - À Point exhibition shows what this judgment is based on: Arnout van Albada (1968) gives objects of its own, mainly food, a stage of its own. From French cheeses to raspberries and from pudding to smoked bacon, Van Albada's still lifes give them a special status.
À Point
À Point is the title of the exhibition, a French culinary term for "just cooked". "My subject choice is determined by what I find beautiful, tasty or attractive," says Van Albada. With an eye for detail, he then captures subtle contrasts in color, shape and material and gives food and their packaging something magical. You can almost taste Van Albada's painted puddings.
New realists
On his 14th birthday, Van Albada received from his parents the book 20 Years New Realists from the Amsterdam Gallery Mokum, with work by Matthijs Röling and Kik Zeiler, among others. The book made a big impression and Van Albada went to study at Minerva Academy in Groningen, where he was taught by Röling, Diederik Kraaijpoel and Chris Herenius, among others.
Elusive
Albada's fascination with food stems from his childhood. At home, the quality of food was an important theme. He finds the intangible of food interesting: first the search for the perfect subject and then the decay that sets in. Van Albada uses all kinds of artifacts, such as a fridge, freezer and cooling elements, to counter this decline and thus save time. He also takes photos in between. Ultimately, he captures his subjects in strong still lifes, distinguished by his virtuoso painting technique.
Publication
A richly illustrated publication will accompany the exhibition. This book is published by WBOOKS, costs € 24.95 and is available in the Museumshop of the Drents Museum and of course also in the gallery.
