Ben Kruisdijk focuses on two principle drawing styles. In one case he obtains medical x-ray pictures and both draws on and scratches into their surfaces. The subject matter of his depictions on these x-rays are often nature related: living things such as flowers or child-like drawings are used to contradict the morbidity of the base material itself in order to off-set the questions of age, health, death and even the past - with youth and life.
In his other small format ink drawings, Ben collates ideas expressed through the faithful reproduction of school textbook and scientific illustrations as well as text in various languages, and presents these drawings to appear vintage. However, while they much appear so, his smaller scale works are not collages. This playfully deceptive world ironically undermines science and history, and forces us to question the fact or fiction of what we know. |
