Many of my paintings show details of the human body. In my works, the human body often stands for ‘human nature’. The eloquence of a detail, together with the eloquence of the works’ shape, is used to express characteristics or feelings; either those of mankind in general, or those of a single individual.

Partly, the choice of subjects, derives from my interest in the physical ‘old-fashioned-beauty-of-the-human-body’. Maybe that is why some paintings result in showing a certain sensuality or elegance.

Paintings, to me, are objects. Although mostly put up on the wall, in my perception, they are three-dimensional matters, free to handle, free to give it any shape I think it should have. Why limit myself to rectangles and squares?

My works do have different levels of meaning. One could say, the works provide different levels of perception.

The hand-painted works, almost photo-realism, have their meaning in ‘what the image shows’; the story in it, so to say. Meanwhile, the image is an invitation to the observer to look for further meaning beyond the image. Secondly, there is the ‘formal aspects; the formal meaning of shape, materials, composition, etc. Third is the expression of those materials: All added 3D material is meant to refer to some feeling or characteristics. It is meant to emerge some specific sensation in the observer. Four: Putting all this together, objects, shape and representational elements produce new meaning, which was not there before. The painting’s full meaning comes forward from here.

To me, creating 3-dimensional ‘paintings’, or putting 3-D objects on top of a painting is a most evident consequence of the way I look upon painting.

Moreover, it puts an extra to the observer’s experience: the  perception of proximity. It works just like relics: if I can see and touch it, I will feel closer to the one who once owned it. As for the painting: the real objects make me feel closer to the more remote person in paint. By mentally embracing the objects –being aware I technically can touch them-, I am ushered into the mental inside of the complete work.

The central theme for my current works is Nature, and the way people deal with it. Either there is conflict or some kind of harmony or balance. One will find both aspects in my works.

Nature, in most cases, will be presented in my works by green colours or green plants, and by water. The way we relate ourselves to nature provides me excellent opportunities to mirror our human characteristics, as well as to put today’s environmental questions in a personal perspective.

-Jan Wisse