Waiting room V 2019

Jarik Jongman made this oil on canvas painting, Waiting Room V, and straight away, I’m drawn into the thick, almost sculptural application of paint. It’s like he’s building the space, not just describing it. Look how the benches are formed with these assertive strokes of red and white. You can almost feel the weight of the paint, the artist’s hand pressing down. There’s a real physicality to it; it’s not just about seeing, but about touching, or imagining touch. The darkness in the background isn't just a void, it has texture, depth, a kind of brooding presence. This approach reminds me a little of Auerbach, that kind of unapologetic use of paint to create form and atmosphere. It’s like Jongman is saying, “Here’s a waiting room, but it’s also an emotional space, a state of mind.” And in the end, isn’t that what painting does best, turn the everyday into something felt, something deeply personal?