Geometry as Far as the Horizon

by Arjen Roos

Sometimes a landscape becomes more interesting when you do not try to depict it literally. In ‘Geometry to the Horizon’, I have reduced hills, fields and clusters of trees to a rhythm of lines, shapes and colour.

Layer upon layer, the landscape winds its way towards the horizon. Warm shades of red, orange and yellow alternate with turquoise, blue, green and soft earth tones. Dark contour lines connect the individual planes, giving the whole composition a structure almost reminiscent of a stained-glass window. At the same time, the transparent, watercolour-like quality ensures that the landscape remains light and organic.

What particularly appeals to me in this work is the interplay between recognition and abstraction. From a distance, you see a vast hilly landscape. Look closer, and those same hills transform into undulating geometric shapes, patches of colour and patterns. Your eye can always choose a different path through the landscape.

The combination of cool and warm colours gives the work a great deal of energy, without losing the tranquillity of the landscape. It is precisely this contrast that I was seeking: a landscape that can be both calm and exuberant at the same time.

‘Geometry to the Horizon’ is a colourful statement piece for lovers of modern landscape art, watercolour, abstraction and expressive use of colour. A work that adds colour to a modern interior and in which you can discover something new time and time again.