The energy that emanates from Wil van der Laan’s bronze bisons and bulls is primarily due to the directness with which the shape of the animal is expressed in the material. There are still visible traces of moulding, by the artist, in the bronze cast. The animals have been moulded with great accuracy, which is expressed by, amongst other things, the strong suggestion of motion and speed. Even though the shape of the animal is frozen in bronze, it looks like it wants to break free, to jump off the plinth. The contrast between the suggested dynamics and the static qualities that a bronze sculpture irrevocably holds, summons up tension. There is almost no contact between the animal and the plinth; the bull is fastened only by a pin to firm ground, as a consequence of which it is registered like a photo shot, at the height of the jump. The same intensity can be seen in Van der Laan’s paintings in which his passion for sport, Africa and jazz music are the main themes. It is mainly his intense use of colour and rough use of paint that endow these images with such exceptional energy.
Education: Academy of Arts Maastricht, Maastricht
