“We painters are...
just lazy creatures trying pathetically to move around a bit of paint in such a way that it creates a world view we ourselves can believe in,” says Co.
What do you think Co means by this? Maybe there’s something you do or create that you can believe in.
Did you know?
The waffle in the picture is a typical Dutch treat. It’s called a sirup waffle. The first sirup waffles were created in the 19th century in Gouda. First they were 10 centimeters wide. But know there are also smaller and bigger ones.
Everyday topics
Co paints and draws ordinary things. He is fascinated by everyday situations.
Zooming in
One of Co’s most famous paintings is Snijden aan gras (Cutting by grass). In that painting, a finger cuts itself on a sharp blade of grass. This causes the finger to bleed. It looks particularly intense because, in the painting, the artist has zoomed in on the finger. Small mishaps are at the heart of Co’s paintings.
Biennale
Westerik’s work was exhibited twice on the Venice Biennale. In 1962 en 1982. That is a huge honour for an artist. The Venice Biennale is a very important exhibition. Every two years there’s an exhibiton of famous artworks from all around the world.
Ask your fellow visitors to close their eyes. Describe an artwork. They may now open their eyes and try to guess which one it was.