By Karen van de Vliet
150 x 115 cm, 2020
Mixed acrylic paint on cotton

From the series Nothing is black and white

Moving away from line and figurative art, Karen van de Vliet developed a new approach to her work that is focused on embracing an imperfect beauty. Working with the concept of a stain, Karen was able to go back to the base, to the essence, which continues to be at the core of her practice. She is intrigued by shapes that have arisen on the weathered, chipped, broken, planed and dented surfaces. In these weathered parts Karen finds the essence of true beauty. Taking inspiration from these findings, she creates wondrous abstract pieces that contemplate imperfection. Acrylic paint, water and differing other materials are intuitively applied - often to unstretched cotton - giving free rein to expression.