Op deze koude dag (20 graden onder nul), Halsteren, 9 januari 2009, overleed mijn vader. Terug naar huis dus in het landschap van mijn jeugd, daar waar wij ooit in de zee zwommen, speelden en lachten. Ik probeer met alles wat ik heb de wind te vangen in mijn thuisland, maar alles lijkt bevroren. De wereld staat stil, volledig.
Bibliography
Kruf, J. (2009) Dimensie van het leven [fine art print]. Breda: Privécollectie.
“Trees are the main players in the Empire of the Sun.” This is what friend (professor) Roelof Oldeman told me in the summer of 2022, driving at walking speed through the forests of the Veluwe some weeks before he passed away. He continued: “We should consider them as such and treat them with grace, dignity and respect. Without them, we will be lost.” Wisdom it is.
Many trees and forests are under immense pressure due to human expansion with related lousy governance and management. We need to remind ourselves – from the perspective of ‘hope’, i.e. the idea of a better world with internal high inner connection and involvement (Cornel West) (in contrast with optimism) – that nature is much bigger than us: the tree is dead, long live the tree!
In Deadvlei, these proud acacias still stand. They are believed to have died 600–700 years ago due to changes in river flow, drifting sand dunes and medieval climate changes. They are silent reminders of my dear friend’s noble thoughts and considerations. I found this one in my notebook from our travels through Namibia in 2003 and repainted it.
Bibliography
Kruf, J.P. (2022) The tree is dead, long live the tree! [fine are print]. Breda: Private collection.
The old road, the Appian Way, shows itself with the characteristic Stone Pines (Pinus pinea, L.), the pines of Rome, in an autumn sunset.
BibliographyKruf, J. (2023) Via Appia Sunset [fine art print]. Breda: Private collection.
In this landscape, the rock-solid Celtic menhirs stand in high contrast with the high dynamics of the sky.
This painting is inspired by the album The Philosopher’s Stone by Van Morrison. Metaphorically speaking, I expressed the contrast between volatile political plays in the air today and the feet on the ground of the Constitution and the connection with the Earth.
BibliographyKruf, J. (2023) Celtic Contrast [fine art print]. Breda: Private collection.
Iceland still shows us the wild. A world of rocks, water and mosses with far views.
Kruf Huyssons 