Rombout Oomen: Sunny side up or hardboiled

Jakčev dom, Sokolska ul. 1, Novo mesto (http://maps.google.com/maps...)
Open: 26.7.: 19h – 21h, 27.7. – 7.8.: 9h – 17h
Sunday closed.

The principal theme of the works of Rombout Oomen is the rising, domination and decline of authorities, such as churches and regimes. By 'authority' he means a body which consciously holds on to self invented dogma's in order to protect its own territories of influence.
The paintings he produces are made in a seemingly endless urge to re-encounter personal experiences. That happens when he almost literally goes up into the canvas and paints 'within' instead of 'on' the canvas. When that happens the painting functions as a door or window to an endless space where things are created. That particular space give's him the tools to investigate and re-define the concept 'man as a territorial being'.

The theme of this series evolved by the use of photography extracted from newspapers, as a source of inspiration. Daily news photography is a balancing of power. These pictures depict a specific situation (often the effect of power), and at the same time lay bare a remarkable flip-side. By interpreting and rearranging those images, I try to expose and increase the double-meaning and composition.
Obviously, most images I choose have a Classical composition, by which the drama becomes layered and invites exploration.
I use this theme as my personal road-map to create simply 'good work', which in its turn will represent power. By painting and drawing I try to capture our present, and ultimately hope to show a sense of universality, much in line with how the portraits of, for instance the Renaissance-Cardinals have become a reality in our collective memory.