Organic Disarray 2

"Organic Disarray 2" by van den hooven is a vibrant and densely layered abstract composition that pulses with energy and symbolic tension. The artwork features an experiment arrangement of organic and geometric forms, rendered in a palette dominated by fiery reds, earthy browns, neutral greys and subtle oranges. Each element is outlined in bold black, lending the work a graphic clarity that enhances its visual rhythm.

At the center of the composition is a large, red, heart form with multiple white appendages—an arresting focal point that suggests themes of soul, spirit and primal instinct. Surrounding it, multiple organs are attached, introducing a sense of interconnectedness, while a cobalt turquoise blue eye-like form to the bottom left adds a sense of watchfulness and introspection.

The surrounding space is filled with a dynamic interplay of shapes: curves, loops, and angular fragments that seem to float or collide within the picture plane. These forms evoke a sense of movement and internal dialogue, as if the artpiece itself is engaged in a process of thought or transformation. The juxtaposition of organic curves and rigid angles creates a visual tension that is both animated and unsettling.

The artist’s signature, located in the bottom right corner, anchors the piece with a personal mark, while the overall composition reflects a deep engagement with the emotional and psychological dimensions of abstraction.

This work invites viewers into a visceral and cerebral space where emotion, perception, and subconscious imagery converge. The bold use of color and form suggests a narrative of internal conflict or catharsis, while the ambiguity of the shapes encourages open-ended interpretation. "Organic Disarray 2" by van den hooven is not merely a visual experience—it is a psychological landscape, a storm of symbols waiting to be decoded.

Follow

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.