Struikgewas 1939 - 2009

Kees Stoop rendered Struikgewas, or ‘Undergrowth’, with charcoal on paper. Note the directness of the medium; charcoal is one of the oldest drawing materials, simply burnt wood. Stoop coaxes a range of tones from it, from the deep blacks of the thicket to the hazy grays suggesting light and shadow. The visible strokes capture the texture of the undergrowth, making you feel as though you could reach out and touch it. The work is a testament to the power of simple materials when handled with skill. Stoop’s choice of charcoal lends itself to quick, expressive sketches, perfectly suited to capturing the fleeting beauty of the natural world. There’s an immediacy to the marks on the page. This directness, combined with the accessible medium, invites us to reconsider what constitutes ‘high art.’ The work emphasizes the value of observation, skill, and the ability to transform basic materials into something evocative.