Pavot 2 (Poppy 2)

Pavot 2 (Poppy 2): A selection of 7 paintings from a series of 25 works where the luxuriant, photo-graphic, close up representations of flowers and fruits contrast strongly with a panoramic view of the desert city of Leh, capital of Ladakh.

In the summer 2000, I traveled to Ladakh, North Himalaya India. Ladakh looks like a vast, mostly dehydrated expanse (the city of Leh), but  thanks to irrigation, the flourishing vegetation of certain valleys like Shey or Thikse, contrasts violently with the drought of the highlands. Up there, the sometimes unbearable brightness make the colours pop.

Back to the Netherlands, the series “Flowers, fruits and the city of Leh” is born. In this series, the reflections of a luxuriant flora spring from their frame. At the heart of this composition, we can see the image of an invisible city emerging from a desert of rocks and sands.

I prepared the support of “Pavot 2” by hand. First of all a layer of rabbit glue is applied on the support to assure the elasticity of the support; then, several layers of gesso are applied before painting with high quality oil paint.

In the process of painting, precision, complexity and details become more and more important (water drops, textures, mould).

More information

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