Red Sun 1980

Harrie Gerritz created ‘Red Sun’, a color lithograph, in 1974. Gerritz came of age in a post-war Netherlands still reckoning with its identity. His work often features a sparse abstraction, subtly echoing the societal shifts of the time. Here, we see simplified forms and muted colors, reflecting a move away from traditional representation towards a more conceptual expression. The titular "red sun" and the schematic tree-like form seem to evoke a landscape stripped to its essence, while other shapes disrupt any sense of unified space, and the handwritten title adds a personal, almost diaristic, touch. During the 1970s, artists like Gerritz explored new ways to convey feelings about place, identity, and belonging, often challenging conventional notions of beauty and skill. ‘Red Sun’ invites us to reflect on the personal within the political, finding meaning in simple, shared landscapes.