Review Written By Prof. Dottore Emanuela Catalano
July 23rd, 2008 - Emmen, Dr
Betty Jonker,
1-9 December 2007 Biennale Internationale d'arte Contemporanea Florence
Driven by the passion that fills her, this life-loving artist paints large works, sometimes breaking them up into several parts.
She paints in a number of different styles, changing on the basis of the subject and her mood. She loves two-dimensions and glossy paint that conceals the game or invites one to play.
Brightly contrasting colors characterise her warm palette. Her vibrant, voluminous brushstrokes seem to be able to recreate the subject matter in a whirl.
The paintings on display at the Biennial feature two subjects dear to the artist, which often appear in her works: tulips, an essential and almost genetic leit-motif, and Japanese female figures, symbolising wisdom and mystery, with fresh flowers tumbling from their complex hairstyles, hidden and yet revealed by fans, parasols and screens.
However, captivating female figures stand out in her beautiful book, drawing us with intensity into their distressed minds. Her portraits of children also attract our attention, capturing the joy of those precious years.
This artwork, with its varied styles and subject matters, tells us how, in the experience of Betty Jonker, Art and Life are inseparable.
Prof. Dottore Emanuela Catalano,
Storica dell'Arte
Florenz, Italy
