Peter Hoogerwerf‘s sculptures are in keeping with the 19th and early 20th century traditions. His elegant and sensitively depicted female figures are reminiscent of the dancers of Edgar Degas. The artist plays figuratively with open and closed forms, with motion and rhythm and with contours and lineation. Their expression is modest and classic. Even though Hoogerwerf’s work is figurative and the women seem to be portrayed completely realistically in the anatomical sense, the artist feels that the replication is secondary to the artistic expression. If he needs to let go of anatomical precision for the good of the expressiveness, he does so without hesitation. It is quite extraordinary that his nudes always have a totally natural appearance. The technical high quality also contributes to their natural and classic beauty. Hoogerwerf’s sculptures retain a genuine presence in their equilibrated relationship.
Education: Academy of Fine Arts Artibus, Utrecht; Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Amsterdam
