Artists:		Joost Doornik
Techniques:		oil paint
Date of exhibition:		October 21 - December 12, 2004

Joost Doornik

It was in 1964 in the Dutch town Hilversum that Joost Doornik saw the light. In order to learn to catch this light in paint, he went to the northern town Groningen to study at the Academy Minerva during the years 1983-1989. The term 'light' is very appropriate to this painter, as he taught himself a kind of impressionistic variant that over the years developed into a real Doornik-style. In this he resembles Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894) in the days of the great Impressionists; he sympathizes with their artistic ideas, but he goes his own way. For those who are familiar with the shining floorboards in Gustave Caillebotte's famous painting Floorscrapers (1875), it should be easy to see a direct line to Doornik's interiors of a pub or station buffet. These interiors stand out by their striking three-dimensional effect. They are usually characterized by a strict, almost Mondrian-like pattern of lines of horizontals and verticals, between which the depicted figures seem to be navigating or docking. They are like wandering travellers in shiny spaces, supported by light. Travelling is something that Doornik himself is quite familiar with. Regularly he visits particular places in France and Italy, but also the Dutch isle of Terschelling and the town Groningen itself are dear to the painter. And if at all possible, he jumps on his bicycle to get there. Yes, even to Italy. If one sees the size of his calves, one wonders if it is at all possible for this painter to ever sit quietly behind his easel. The answer is: not often. Doornik is a typical plein air painter, one of that rare species that paints on the spot, while holding his hat in place with one hand, shaking off nosy bystanders, and keeping young cattle at a safe distance. Doornik is an outstanding example of a dynamic painter. Group exhibition Parallel to the exhibition of Joost Doornik, Museum Møhlmann organizes a group exhibition with new work of: Dina Belga, Roland Beyer, Peter Boekholt, Janhendrik Dolsma, Frans Dingemanse, Frans Faber, Ad Haring, Michaël Hiep, Christa Hoek, Carel Huls (B), Hanneke de Jager, Romee Kanis, Cis Koetse, Rob de Lange, Drago Pecenica, Bob Pestman, Maria de Ruiter de Witt, Hendrik Slijper, Ed Ubels, Hennie Unkel, Jaap Veen, John Watling (GB), Paul Wieggers

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