Vondelpark 2011

Lau Heidendael made this small painting, titled Vondelpark, with ink and watercolour on paper. The park scene shimmers between shades of white and grey. It's like the memory of a place rather than a depiction of it. I can imagine Lau standing there in the Vondelpark with their paints and brushes, trying to capture something elusive. The bare trees and buildings in the distance are just impressions, almost dissolving into the pale sky. Look at the scratching marks of the bare trees, how do they connect the foreground and background of the image? And how the muted colours contribute to the overall sense of quietness. Heidendael may have been influenced by earlier landscape painters, like the Impressionists. But here, the artist has their own distinct take, a way of seeing that feels intimate and personal. Ultimately, painting is a conversation, a dialogue between artists across time. Each one adding their own unique voice to the mix.