Painting by van den hooven 4 Artworks Sold

Dreamscape

Watercolour, Paper, Framed by Artist

93cm (W) x 63cm (H) x 3cm (D)

Certificate of Authenticity Included

Framed by Artist

A$690

Arrives 19–21 Sep

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Artwork Description

“Dreamscape” is one of van den hooven’s latest art creations; a vibrant and engaging montage of eclectic elements positioned in complete disarray.

This artwork is part of a series inspired by van den hooven’s own imagination, dreams, emotions, events and experiences. “Dreamscape” is a representation of the subconscious and an exploration of the unknown. This artwork invites the viewer to enter a world of fantasy and mystery, where anything is possible.

The colors used are mainly red, pink and flesh tones as well as various neutral tones in the background to create harmonious balance of colours.

This piece features a cadmium red heart, a pair of kidneys, a pair of lungs, a pair of ear lobes, an open (screaming) mouth, a walnut-style brain, both a large and a small intestines, a security camera, bunny ears, crustacean claws, part of a gar pike, an upside down nose, and a blue eye.

This artwork is a captivating and imaginative piece that merges elements of abstract cubist expressionism with a surreal, almost cartoon-like narrative. Presented in a panoramic format, the composition is a complex tapestry of bold, interlocking shapes outlined in thick black lines, filled with a vivid array of colors including reds, pinks, yellows, and neutral tones. The use of watercolor as gouache technique is evident in the smooth, opaque application of pigment, which creates a textured yet cohesive visual experience.

The central focus of the piece is a fragmented, multi-faceted depiction of a human or animal-like figures, characterised by a striking red circular mouth with prominent white teeth, suggesting a sense of exclamation or emotion. Surrounding this focal point are abstracted facial features: a large turquoise eye on the right, an inverted gray nose on the left, and an array of appendages such as a brain, pair of kidneys and lungs in pink and purple. These elements are interwoven with organic and geometric forms, such as a chain-like intestinal diagonal structure on the left and claw-like shapes on the right, adding layers of intrigue and suggesting a dreamlike or fantastical scene.

The color palette is both bold and harmonious, with warm tones like red and orange dominating the center, while cooler grays and yellows frame the edges, creating a balanced yet dynamic flow. The inclusion of subtle details, such as the small blue object in the upper left corner resembling a security camera lens, alluding to increasingly levels of observation and monitoring in society.

Signed "van den hooven" in the lower right corner, this work showcases the artist’s ability to blend structured composition with spontaneous creativity. It invites viewers to interpret its abstract forms and vibrant hues, making it a thought-provoking addition to a collection of contemporary abstract, cubist or surrealist art. The piece’s energetic rhythm and imaginative design render it a standout example of modern artistic expression.

Artist Bio

van den hooven is an emerging Australian abstract cubist artist whose style is instantly recognisable for its quintessential features: bold lines, consistent colour palette and his symbolic logo-like depiction of facial features, bodily organs and other familiar objects.

His compositions are intentionally cluttered and contradictory, reflecting the chaos of modern life through a unique visual language that fuses the internal with the external, the animate with the inanimate, the natural with the technological.

Born into a lineage steeped in creativity, van den hooven’s artistic roots trace back to his grandfather Abraham Leendert van den Hooven, a Dutch sailor-turned-self-taught artist who settled in Australia in the late 1950s. His mother, Margarita Rosa, also pursued fine art, nurturing a household where creativity could flourish.

Coming from a science research background, van den hooven’s own journey into art was reignited after completing diplomas in graphic design (2016) and illustration (2018).

His work often explores themes of consumption, identity, internal conflict using familiar and quintessential objects—facial features, organs, androids, tentacles, surveillance cameras, crustaceans, fish, and more—to challenge viewers’ perceptions of necessity versus excess.

Looking forward, van den hooven is holding his inaugural solo art exhibition at the Clyde Gallery, Bay Pavilions Art+Aquatic centre, Batemans Bay, in August 2025.

Commissions

van's studio is in Moruya