Art is a delicate wisp, an ethereal essence that defies permanence. Its ephemeral nature is like a breath, a fragile existence that can vanish with the passing of time. Yet, photography has the power to capture those fleeting moments in a few milliseconds, freezing them in an everlasting frame. Through the lens, the transitory dance of light and shadow, the fleeting beauty of nature can be preserved. Photography serves as a visual testament to the evanescent, immortalizing shapes, stories and experiences that might otherwise fade into oblivion. It is the art of capturing the ephemeral, turning fleeting glimpses into eternal memories. This is the art of Nico Laan. His “Temporary Drawings” exhibition tells it all: carving the landscape for a moment and capturing it for eternity. Fotomuseum The Hague draws a parallel between his work and M.C. Escher’s drawings, likely because of the piece “Geometric Illusions”. To me however, his work is closer to that of Edward Burtynsky, even though the latter Canadian artist merely focuses on what industry leaves behind where as Laan acts as a sculptor who, with every stroke and chisel, reshapes the natural world, infusing it with his creative spirit, leaving on his photographs an indelible mark that blurs the boundaries between artifice and nature’s raw beauty.
Coastline, 2020 ©Nico Laan
Waterline, 2020 ©Nico Laan
Geometric Illusions, 2021 ©Nico Laan