Olav Brouwers

Olav Brouwers' main character likes nothing more than to hide, with a cardboard bag or box over his head, hidden under a pillow or hidden behind an umbrella. The man in his paintings guards himself from the outside world, but does not escape the gaze of the artist, who places him almost ruthlessly in the spotlight. The painter chooses sober settings. Sometimes he focuses on the bust of his model, depicted in a simple white T-shirt, other times he opts for a life-size canvas, portraying the man (or woman) with an everyday object.

His models are depicted alone, their faces deliberately turned away. They don't want or can't communicate with us. Outstanding, an English term that does not translate correctly into Dutch, is how you can call the lonely figures captured in oil paint. Is it desperate isolation, or is this escapism a conscious choice? Our contemporary culture forces us to show the best sides of ourselves. But hanging your head and escaping that urge to perform and vanity for a while is a form of self-care that we often don't exhibit.

In his latest works, Olav Brouwers chooses inflatable swimming pools as an addition or as a solo object in his work. In a theatrical claire-obscure, the run-down flamingos, ducks or swans shine one last time. In 'Fairytale' a colorful unicorn with a crumpled head leans over the edge of the bath. The cheerful objects have become useless, but they still provide comfort. They are a metaphor for longing for a bygone and carefree (childhood) time.

Other objects also have a place. An aluminum prop or a stack of blocks are depicted in such a way that they appear immense compared to the tiny figures surrounding them. The enlargement makes everyday objects almost surreal and strange. We seem to be attending a ritual from another dimension.

In both the portraits and the still lifes, emotions such as melancholy and defeatism have the upper hand. Nevertheless, Olav Brouwers' work does not wallow in melancholy. With his work he gives himself and his audience a break, an escape from the rat race that dominates our daily lives. Hiding all away, if only for a moment.