Jan Van Dijk - 'Detour Deluxe'

Jan Van Dijk’s paintings explore the absurdity of human kind through explorations into gritty characters and humorous narratives in paint. His paintings move beyond the real and exist in a realm where the work is more about the futility and frailty of human kind, rather than the sentimental rendering of individuals. Van Dijk’s human representations are concentrated compositions of a convergent moment in time. In his work he occupies a concentrated part of the picture plane, displaying characters and scenes made from balls of energetic brush work and paint application. His paintings depict unexpected moments of narrative, and give rise to extraordinary flights of fancy.

Van Dijk’s constructed and scaffolded, rickety landscapes are a testament to the builders and operators of rollercoasters; the marshals of wonder and the architects of absurdity. His latest paintings are the assembled bones of theme parks that need no comparison to the clickety-clack gravity-assisted passage of everyday life. As Van Dijk says, "Take the Detour Deluxe! Thrill of all thrills."

BIO

Jan Van Dijk is a self trained creative who invents personality through paint. Having exhibited extensively through the last decade, Van Dijk has established his practice both nationally and internationally through exhibitions in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Paris, and Sofia. During 2012, his work will be on tour for the Affordable Art Fairs in Brussels, London, New York, Amsterdam, Singapore and Melbourne. His artworks are held in notable collections including Gadens Lawyers and Brisbane Mater Private Hospital, and have been on extended loan to Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Van Dijk was recently selected for the Director's Cut Exhibition 60th Blake Art Prize (2011), as well as being a finalist in ANL Maritime Art Prize Melbourne (2011) and the Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery (2011). Van Dijk continues to develop an annual publication that showcases the development of his practice and conceptual concerns. Recent publications include 'Jan Van Dijk: 2010', 'Jan Van Dijk: 2009' and 'Jan Van Dijk: A Reverse Chronology 2008 - 2006'.