Catalogue Above Reality

The enormous drawings of Lenneke van der Goot are populated by people and animals, alone or in groups. Anonymous figures play the leading role in her new worlds. They find themselves in indefinable environments that are created from layers of pencil, ink and paint on paper. Inky clouds and scratches are visible in the landscapes, or repetitive patterns of stickers and stamps. This emphasises the lack of time, location and direction. Van der Goot is interested in the relationship between an individual and his environment. When is a group a collection of unique parts, and when is it an independent entity? Clearly, the wolf, which is often depicted, fulfils an important, symbolic role: this animal lives in tight social communities, but can also survive alone.

Her final presentation is preceded by various activities, such as the erasure of pencil marks or washing off ink and paint. Traces are left behind on the drawings: scored paper, vague shadows of lines or dried-up ink stains are subtle reminders of Van der Goot’s search for the right form. In addition, the artist sometimes tries to break free of the flatness of her material or elaborate upon it. For instance, she makes site-specific tape-installations, in which physical spaces are used to represent people. Reams of tape are criss-crossed to seal off a window or wall, after which an image is cut out. Each place forms a new point of departure for a work of art.