How Anca Blok makes emotion jump off the canvas

The works of KUNSTBLOC are so lifelike that you can hardly stop looking. This week she highlights her four masterpieces.

The works of ART BLOCK are so lifelike that you can hardly stop watching them. The 28-year-old artist Anca Blok always looks for the emotion behind a story and translates it into an impressive work of art. By working with charcoal on sustainable cotton, the artist manages to radiate emotion from the canvas. Anca's work can be admired during MASTERS VERNISSAGE where she introduces the public to her craft in a special way. Text: Fleur de Jong
Image: Anca Blok

The Old Man (Rembrandt)

“The Old Man is one of my jewels. The painting was selected from 8.390 entries in the competition'Long Live Rembrandt' was chosen and could therefore be admired during the 2019 summer exhibition in the Rijksmuseum . This was a big milestone for me. The Rijksmuseum is known for its great masters. The fact that my work was allowed to hang among them felt like an enormous honor. The artwork is based on 'The old man' by Rembrandt. Inspired by Rembrandt's many painted portraits and etchings, I gave the famous painting a completely modern look.

I work purely with charcoal on cotton, which is why my works are characterized by the black and white face. With charcoal I place extra emphasis on the emotional layer, which fully stimulates the senses of the viewer. As a result, the fascinating hairstyle, the drooping yet expressive eyes, the lush eyebrows and the impressive mustache of The Old Man are beautifully reflected in this work of art. Characteristic faces in enormous formats, such as that of The Old Man, set the tone for my artworks.”

The waving reeds

“Nature is a great source of inspiration for me. I regularly go out to enjoy the ingenuity and transience that nature has to offer. The painting 'The Waving Reed' is one of my favorites and based on my roots in the fields in the Noordoostpolder. Nature is so pure. It moves with the seasons and therefore has beautiful phases of life. That fascinates me. In this painting I have captured the waving reeds that I grew up with. Stems that have defied wind and weather. Each of which lives separately from each other, but together they form a beautiful whole. Reeds that dance with the sighing wind and stand up proudly when caressed by warm rays of sunshine. An untouched piece of wilderness with unprecedented beauty.

By working with the natural product charcoal it is possible to create the purity and movement of the reed on the canvas by, among other things, accentuating the depth of field. The painting was also part of the solo exhibition 'Polder soil'.

MASTERS VERNISSAGE

“I think Yves Gijrath is an entrepreneur par excellence. A striking man with a distinctive past and a vibrant heart for people and society. Exclusively for the MASTERS VERNISSAGE I will make a life-size painting of Yves. Normally I draw my studio in the beautiful countryside, but never before live and in front of an exclusive audience.

Yves's 54 leading years can be read in his facial expression. A beautiful face, where every wrinkle, the lines around the eyes, the frame of the corners of the mouth, everything tells a story. A life story filled with peaks and valleys. By working out those beautiful shapes on an impressive cotton canvas, I make the story visual. 

As a basis for the artwork I used an existing photo of Yves, over which I poured my own KUNSTBLOC sauce. So far the contours of the face have been set and the eyes have already been shaped. During the days of MASTERS VERNISSAGE I will further develop the artwork. I would like to introduce the guests to my craft and my life-size, pure paintings.”

View here more MASTERPIECES by Anca Blok.