Erik Oldenhof is a painter who applies the power of constraint in his way of painting. Simplicity is the signature of the truth. He focuses on attaining the maximum artistic capacity with a minimal use of imagery. Iconic for his work is the pasteus painted linework that veils the canvas. The result is architecturally and spacious. His paintings are about the process of painting and repainting, adding and subtracting, surfaces and depth, lights and shadows, creating narrative and derailing it, creating order and changing it to chaos. Initially most of his paintings look monochrome, but who takes a more indepth look sees the many shades of white hidden in his work. With pasteus paint usages, he moddels his work with paint, which gives it a strong characteristics of an object. Inconsistencies and ragged edges dampen the harshness of the linework. The radical abstract paintings of Erik Oldenhof force you to contemplate. Even though the central idea of spirituality is strong in his work, for Erik Oldenhof the material appearance is also important. It is allowed to be beautiful, it is allowed to be bright of colour. In summary the paintings give ample way to beauty.”

Text: Wim van der Beek