I recently stumbled upon Arjan Janssen's work scrolling through the endless inspiration that is Pinterest, and after finding out who he is, and has done I decided to write a small piece about the artist that has intrigued me.
With a background in philosophy, Janssen's minimalist canvases and compositions emanate reflection, and a lingering sense that there is an intense thoughtfulness behind each brush stroke. Only a thinker, possibly even an introvert, could inject meaning into such washed out, paired back and quite frankly basic compositions. But it is because of this non-forgiving basic air to the palette, that a raw beauty emerges from them when given a second look.I believe, Janssen's art deserves a longer stare, a longer thought process of what he is truly trying to say with his work. It's because of this introspection through brush stroke, muted tones, and unassuming form that I appreciate his work so much. While minimal, a word that has now become a trend far and wide, his work truly calls out to the admirers of the style, and anyone who thinks a canvas painted just black is just that, needs to take a step back ( or place your laptop screen further from you ) and reevaluate why the canvas is painted so. It is because of the nature of having to take a longer that makes me adore his style of art.
