Mental Anguish

“Mental Anguish” is a mesmerizing modern watercolor that captivates with its intricate interplay of geometric arcs, straight lines and shapes. The bold, confident lines—both curved and straight—guide the viewer’s eye, creating a dynamic sense of movement and depth.

This new artpiece by van den hooven is a vibrant and dynamic piece that exemplifies the principles of abstract expressionism, successfully combining elements of both cubism and surrealism in the one artwork. The intentionally complex composition draws the viewer’s eye continuously and repeatedly across the artwork.

“Mental Anguish” delves deep beneath a human surface anatomy, and instead looks towards the interior, almost physiology, at what lingers beneath the surface. Not in an accurate medical or scientific sense, but a novel creative way. At what we find inside people’s minds and bodies, how the two may be inter-related, interconnected, interdependent.

Looking at the internal and the external –not individually, but simultaneously– challenges traditional and conventional notions of portraiture and representation, offering a unique and thought-provoking exploration of identity, character and emotion. It is a testament to van den hooven’s ability to blend technical skill with creative vision, resulting in a piece that is as intellectually stimulating as it is visually captivating.