Desiccate Shift by Jan Kuhlemeier

During the Art Rotterdam Week 2020 Jan Kuhlemeier showed his very first installation piece 'Desiccate Shift' during The New Current 2020. For The New Current, Jan developed a new piece in which the creation of a painting is digitalised. The end result of the painting is no longer the goal, the focus lies on the process that proceeds it and the actual time it takes to get there. In a society that revolves around speed and achieving instant results, this work provides us with a newfound appreciation for the actual amount of time required to achieve actual, meaningful development.  

Jan is fascinated by natural energies and phenomena. The experience of landscapes is a common thread in his work. Jan is constantly examining different materials, with a layered use of colours is at its base. Different pigments and materials have various characteristics, and these characteristics are magnified within the framework of Jan’s work. By working on different backgrounds, the surfaces change as soon as the materials change from liquid to solid substance. Jan creates his work by planning his actions in advance, actions that function as a translation of the energies and natural phenomena he sees around him. Jan’s personal experiences are expressed in the movement and the rhythm of creation.