Coen Vernooij crafts both freestanding sculptures and wall sculptures. Both are composed of delicate metal rods, adorned with iron mica paint or powder coating. The rods demarcate a space, one yet to be fulfilled. In terms of form, they are highly lucid abstractions, reduced to their ultimate essence. At first, it may seem that one can take in everything at a glance. However, upon further inspection, this is not necessarily the case. Where am I exactly? Is this inside or outside? Does it serve as a boundary for a space, or does the space evolve from within the sculpture itself? The standing sculptures must remain free-standing and can be placed both indoors and outdoors. One must be able to walk around them. Shadows of the lines join in the game. With every step taken, the image changes in unpredictable ways.
Is Vernooij a constructivist, or rather a romantic? At first glance, the works seem meticulously measured, exhibiting a constructivist approach. However, the openness of the pieces also evokes a longing for distant lands. And that is romantic. Vernooij’s work can perhaps be described as ‘Zen’. Detached from longing, but also detached from calculated construction. The work is abstract, yet not strictly rational or formalistic. Vernooij pushes the boundaries of reality. He moves within the realm where reality and illusion meet. Fragments of sound, whiffs of scent, interrupted conversations, gentle touches. Experiences that, as Coen puts it, demand to be completed. He gives these heightened moments an equivalent in visual form. What insight does this translation to line sculpture offer? Fragile, light, and open works. Beautiful in their simplicity and penetrating in their complexity. Is that the message? What appears simple may actually be complex. And what may seem complex can be reduced to simplicity.
Since 2000, Vernooij has had over 40 exhibitions in various locations, primarily in the Netherlands.
www.ftn-books.com has one Vernooij publication available
