Dutch artist Ron van der Ende creates fantastic works which live on the edge of painting and sculpture, and yet, he doesn’t even paint them. His art features insanely realistic bas-relief objects, from cars, to industrial architecture, aircraft, spacecraft and even diamonds. Although these dark renditions of the industrial age look completely 3D in photographs, in fact they are nearly flat panels measuring only about 16cm (6.2 inches) thick.
What makes these works even more impressive? They are constructed entirely out of recycled materials, from old doors to wood flooring. van der Ende skins a thin 3mm veneer off his found materials, leaving the old paint intact and then covers a bas-relief sculpture with them. That’s right, he doesn’t paint any of his creations!
Growing up in Rotterdam, van der Ende’s earliest memories were of the industrial workshop where his father worked. He painted all through his childhood and attended college initially to study painting. Later he changed to sculpture because he felt if offered more freedom. Today his work has evolved into something that mixes all these factors in perfect harmony.
What inspires Ron van der Ende to create his works? He says he’s always on the lookout for everyday subjects from life and popular culture that speak to what he calls his “basic boyish enthusiasm.” For anyone obsessed with space or vehicles as a kid, these artworks certainly strike a powerful chord… and it’s certainly not flat. To see more of his work see ronvanderende.nl.
