Portrait of J.S.

Tile adhesive, sand & acrylic on canvas. J.S is a prominent hotelier in Amsterdam. This large portrait of him is executed with a mixture of sand, glue (tile adhesive) and acrylic paint, on canvas. I started using these materials after becoming frustrated with the limitations of regular paint - the sand and adhesive (industrial glue) create a thick mixture that is spread over the canvas with a paint scraper. The resulting color palette is more subdued and matt than traditional paint but the surface has vivid texture and movement and a three-dimensional, almost sculpted, effect. Viewed from a distance the work is cohesive and balanced, up close it's extremely rough and tactile. The materials become very hard after drying, for instance, if you were to draw your hand quickly over the surface it would cut your skin. [This work is unframed].