Hoogovens bij IJmuiden Possibly 2013 - 2021

Dirck Nab made this drawing, Hoogovens bij IJmuiden, using what looks like blueish-grey chalk, probably en plein air. You can see the artist trying to capture the overall scene rather than focusing on the details. There's something about the materiality here that speaks to me – the roughness of the chalk, the way it smudges, and blends to create this hazy atmosphere. It’s like the artist is feeling their way through the scene, translating the grittiness of the landscape into marks on paper. The smokestacks kind of fade into the sky. Look at the lines at the bottom of the page: they’re shaky and unsure, like the artist was trying to capture something fleeting. It reminds me a bit of Turner, but with a more industrial edge. Both artists share a fascination with capturing atmospheric conditions. Nab’s work, with its industrial subject matter and rough application of materials, embodies a kind of truth-to-materials ethos. It doesn't hide the process of its making.