| |||||
| Leo Verhoeven Verhoevens cityscapes are almost exclusively associated with the London borough of Southwark. His paintings concentrate on the modernist architecture of the elephant and castle which lies within one of the most impoverished areas of the borough.Through his use of colour and, definition of line and form, he seeks to capture the mood of the architects original ideal, rather than reflect its present circumstances. Verhoeven flat simplicity of form, repetition and lack of superfluous ornamentation demonstrate the kind of order attainable in and appropriate to a utopian ideal of architectural and social reform. His use of ‘alien’ and unnatural colours combined with his sharp perspective accentuates the architectures ‘otherworldliness’ created by the buildings visible dominance and austere appearance. It may well be that Verehoevens need to aspire to the original ideals of the architects sense of perfection or social reform, is an expression of resentment towards their dilapidated and vandalised predicament. Induced by the architectures own failure to reach its high expectations. However Verhoevens aesthetic suggests a strong sense of what is possible in the future and by the same ideal some notion of what life, the world could be like by translating the past. Verhoeven most recent shows have been within the London borough of Southwark. Shows include: Peckham views; Peckham partnership commission; Unicorn gallery, SW10 and the Southwark Arts festival, SE1. | |||||
|
