"You have taken my red and blue pencils away" Drawing

Illustrative artist van den hooven has a distinct visual language characterised by confident lines and zones of divergent colours to create multiple areas of vibrant symbolism. Intentionally cluttered, contradictory and complex—his compositions capture the chaos of the modern world, through deconstruction and rearrangement of the internal and external and the animate and inanimate. His style and subject matter draw on his recent studies in design and illustration, inspired particularly by product design. His work features familiar objects that may have personal, environmental or historical significance, positioned to create new contexts to communicate ideas. van den hooven’s work is imbued with his deep concern over our culture of overconsumption and excess waste, which stems from his background as a material scientist. This also influences his material choices as both artist and consumer. As he’s creating, he’s reflecting on the embodied energy of the products he’s drawing, their place on the page and in our society. In one way, van den hooven is forcing nature and technology close together again, to prompt viewers to think about the disconnection we have from the things we consume. Yet his art features familiar items that have permeated our lives, asking viewers to consider the role of each. Are they a luxury or necessity? The sheer volume of paraphernalia conveys a sense of chaos and turmoil, while meaningful objects highlight our personal connection to the things in our lives. Could the organs highlight the internal struggles we face in finding balance between need, want, consumption and excess? Does seeing just a portion of our many objects on display prompt a more conscious approach to consumerism? After all, the natural world is getting smaller all the time. How will nature grow and adapt around all our stuff? van den hooven’s earlier work focused on deconstructing human forms to explore his internal conflict but has since evolved beyond his personal story to include the exterior realm. Now it is intentionally symbolic, encouraging viewers to explore their own interpretation within each piece. He believes illustration is a unique visual language that can help us articulate and explore complex issues. It gives him a way to connect to and inspire others with vibrancy and creativity. There is also solace in the mindful process of creating.