Jan Haak

Jan Haak started out as a sculptor and began painting more or less by chance. Through experiments with various types of paint, synthetic resins, and varnish, he created his distinctive abstract reliefs. The way he assembles materials makes it unclear what the canvases are composed of or where they originate. This technique gives the artist the freedom to seek maximum simplicity and tranquility, allowing the painting to transcend its material form and give beauty the maximum possible space to shine. Jan Haak was originally trained as a sculptor and worked as such for many years. About five years ago, he began to focus on painting. Through frequent experimentation with oil and acrylic paints, he developed a style entirely his own. First, he applies relief to a grid drawn on the canvas. With intuitive precision, he uses this to determine the rhythm of his paintings. Next, the canvas is treated with various colors of paint. The final layer of paint is poured while the initial layers are not yet completely dry. As a result, the underlying layers blend slightly with this final layer. The relief, thickness, and dimensions give the works a sculptural quality. His paintings have an intriguing effect due to the intuitively applied relief. The eye ceaselessly searches for order, rhythm, and structure, yet continues to be surprised.

Based on a text by Etienne Boileau