Luuk De Haan, Straec #29, C-Print, 2016

Straec #29 (Abstract Print) UltraChrome HD Ink on Hahnemühle paper. Unframed. A vector is a mathematical quantity that communicates a trajectory toward a point in three-dimensional space.Luuk de Haan works with the idea of vectors in many of his geometric abstract series. He first begins by choosing a color palette then uses digital tools like imaging software to create rectangles on a surface. Those rectangles are then used as starting points for the generation of random triangles and other shapes, which evoke the essence of vectors. De Haan titled one series of his vector-based works "stræc", an Old English term that refers to something that is rigid after being stretched. Not only do these images themselves appear to be stretched, but De Haan also sees this body of work as a theoretical continuation of the geometric abstract work of artists like Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian. Luuk de Haan was born in Vlaardingen, South Holland, Netherlands. He is a visual artist and sound designer. His visual art relies on the mediums of photography, drawing and digital tools to create organic, geometric abstract compositions. He lives and works in Bergen, North Holland, Netherlands. The photographs Luuk de Haan makes are derived from a unique method that combines contemporary technology like digital graphics software with historic photographic techniques. The process begins when De Haan uses digital software to create a geometric composition. He then photographs that composition directly from the screen. By adjusting the physical conditions under which the photograph is taken, such as by lowering the light or moving the camera, De Haan allows the analogue photographic process to interact with the digital image in ways that are often unpredictable, introducing an element of surprise to the final result. Sometimes De Haan will perform dance-like gestures while exposing the photograph, giving an active gestural quality to the image. The resulting images can simultaneously be read as naturally expressive and organic as well as graphic explorations of shape, color, geometry and line.