Bomen en struikgewas 1939 - 2009

Kees Stoop created 'Bomen en struikgewas' with black chalk on paper. Here, the dense thicket of trees and shrubs are rendered with a flurry of dark strokes against the stark white of the paper. The composition teeters on the edge of abstraction, an almost impenetrable mass of lines and textures that invite a prolonged, close inspection. The artist has created a semiotic puzzle of lines, forms, and textures, challenging the viewer to engage in a visual game. Stoop exploits the raw materiality of the chalk, leaving traces of its application visible. The artist encourages us to reflect on the act of representation itself, rather than merely seeing a depiction of nature. Note the disruptive texture around the perimeter. This challenges our perceptions of edges and wholeness. The drawing presents a complex interplay between nature and artifice. The very act of Stoop choosing to represent these 'trees and shrubs' through the medium of chalk destabilizes any singular, fixed meaning.