Van Elk’s contribution to the Shelter Foundation is taken from the body of work Kinselmeer which was begun in the 1990’s. This picture/object made of plexiglass started out from a black-and-white photograph taken at the lake Kinselmeer close to Amsterdam; it was then painted over and digitally altered. One might regard the work as a contemporary reflection on the tradition of Dutch landscape painting wherein the horizon often conveys a sense of stability. Here, however, instead of confronting the viewer with a work in the tradition of the idyllic landscape, van Elk looks critically at the present environment and our precarious relationship to it.
Ger Van Elk (1941, Amsterdam, the Netherlands – 2014, Amsterdam)
Along with Jan Dibbets, Ger van Elk counts as one of the Netherlands’ best-known artists to emerge from the second half of the 20th century. His idiosyncratic work, often underlaid with subtle humor, embraces photography, painting, objects and videos, and is generally regarded as conceptual art. Van Elk participated in numerous groundbreaking international exhibitions, such as When Attitudes Become Form (1969), and the documenta (1972, 1977, 1982). His works can be seen in many major museums.
