The Art Out There: Henk Pander

Henk Pander grew up in Nazi occupied Holland, and some of the trauma of that time haunts his artistic vision to this day. Classically trained in Europe, he eventually found himself in Portland, Oregon in the 1960s and has been there ever since. The impact of war, catastrophe and horror are never far from his work although he does take the time to produce more calming still lives and portraiture. But even the still lives are often weighted with the themes of memory and loss. His palette occasionally borders on the lurid, giving some of the work a nightmarish dreamlike quality. His subject matter too strays into the realm of dream and surrealism as with his skeletal arrangements which he has revisited many times over the decades. What all of his painting have in common is that they are narratives of personal history. His depictions of war and of historical locations are not mere observations but portrayals of personal impact. When he paints scenes from real life the final painting is less about what he saw, than about what he remembers seeing and feeling. The difference can be subtle (or obvious) but it is key to understanding his work.

Most of his paintings, even his wonderful watercolors, are quite large and the impact in person can be tremendous. He currently has a show of work hanging at Laura Russo Gallery in Portland, Oregon. If you're in the area I really recommend taking a look. He also shows at Davidson Gallery in Seattle, Washington.

"Fingers" 80" x 142" oil on linen 2006