The new paintings by Beekman are a continuation on the artist studio themed series that he started in 2016. They are all kaleidoscopic images with dizzying perspectives that in typical Beekman style mix and match elements from the avant-garde art of the last century. There are numerous references, and even a portrait of iconic artists like Basqiat, Bacon, Picasso and Matisse.
Beekman
manages to find a refined balance between figuration and abstraction and even
in his portraits the ‘how’ is just as important as the ‘who’. The canvas in
‘Self portrait as a Dieter Roth pretending to be a Bacon’ holds elements of
both the artists, but through the thick use of paint and raw brush strokes, it
is very much a Beekman.
The
paintings in Wait, hold that thought! are brutal, surreal and bursting with
energy. In ‘Henry and Pablo try to avoid the elephant on the table’, it is
almost impossible to find a spot where to rest ones eye. In a whirlwind of
color and lines Beekman disorientates the viewer. The often large-scale
canvases are just as much a confrontation with the viewer as they are with a
recent past. In multiple perspectives, Beekman shows us how art historical awareness
shapes and determines, not only his, but also our view on art.
