Thud. Crackle. Pop.
The avenues of every urban center SPEAK, nay, they SING. Then, crackle. Then, CRY. Mufflers spat, heels click then CLACK. A sign of ecstasy exits the subway station, a taxi incessantly honks, profanities hang in the air like applause... riveting...fleeting...
I am sure we can all agree, the city is a symphony — and for Dutch artist Bram Reijnders, it is his muse.
Originally from the Netherlands — Reijnders is active on 6 continents — the artist spends much of his time between Amsterdam and Rio De Janeiro, all the while his wild, edgy personality matches the aesthetic he creates.
The Urban Jungle, as Reijnders calls it, makes up the cacophony of daily life — it hums us to sleep, it wakes us to fight another day in its intoxicating streets. It is this same “urban jungle” which defines his work as the reflective powerhouse that it is.
The methodical artist, often referred to as the “Neo Dutch Master of the Urban Landscape,” has not just innovated a new way to emulate the feeling of urbanity, but has wholly taken the charge of “decollage” (the opposite of collage). Ditching the regularly used canvas, Reijnders introduces an idea that first made its appearance with Picasso’s linocuts: art that is devoted to destruction in order to ensure its creation. Hand-ripped billboards thickly layered with wheat paste make the foundation for each piece. He applies an intense concoction of paint, glaze, and heat — and then, without warning, slashes into the work, altering what was once perfect into truth.
The creative journey does not end there, Reijnders is known for poetically setting his art aflame, forever sealing in the chaotic and frenetic energy into each of his pieces.
An artist certainly at the passionate crossroads of abstract expression and the edge of pop extremism, Reijnders continues to challenge the standards of art. He is certainly an artist to keep an eye on in the coming months.
Bram Reijnders’ work is on view at DTR Modern Gallery (458 W Broadway) in Soho, as well as DTR Modern Gallery Bos- ton and DTR Modern Gallery Palm Beach.