Portraits of Water (series 2022-ongoing)
For as long as I can remember, whenever I feel distressed, I find myself gazing at the water for prolonged periods of time. The rhythmic way the water reflects and distorts its surroundings seems to have a profound calming effect on me. It is one of the most universally recognizable images, while being comprised entirely of abstract shapes. In the series Portraits of Water (2022-ongoing), I, Cris Bakker (2000), explore the continuum between abstraction and recognition.
By using acrylic paint and oil pastels, I mimic the movement of water through dynamic brushstrokes and linework. Up close, viewers can get immersed in the abstract shapes and might start to notice all kinds of details. But from afar, the recognizable image of the water surface reappears.
