The Vault Print

Dutch artist Rick Fraterman makes colorful figurative paintings, drawings, detailed architectural models and small objects. Rick blends images from stock photo websites, art history, movie scenes, social media platforms, magazines, cartoons and vector illustrations into colorful, figurative and humorous artworks. Rick explores themes of social realities with the focus on the human condition, defined as the time we have on this planet and how we live out that time. What we do in between birth and death while we are struggling our way through daily life in our search for balance, peace and the fulfillment of our desires. He seeks to establish a direct connection with the viewer by using recognizable images to tell visual stories. In other words, he implements popular imagery to create visually appealing and easily understandable works of art that immediately capture the public’s attention. His work is characterized by bright colors, simple compositions in a cartoonish style in which fragmented images and symbols are blended together that capture moments with a humorous eye. The appearance of his work is always optimistic and playful while remaining anchored in subtle (provocative) critique. In his own words, he likes to make things look better, nicer, more innocent and less devastating. Art historically, Rick feels inspired by the “Narrative Figuration” art movement that originated in France during the 1960s, principally based in Paris. The artists of the “Figuration Narrative” movement sought to create a type of art that incorporated elements of real life and recognizable situations and opposed Abstraction by telling stories through their artworks. These artists felt society was too stressed and too focused on consumerism. They rejected consumerism, making "art for the sake of art" and making any artwork that could be deemed philosophically "meaningless". Figuration Narrative is often described as the "antithesis of Pop Art". Characteristics of “Figuration Narrative” include: Situations of everyday life; Realistic and recognizable figures and shapes; Anonymous persons; Strong symbolism; Elements meant to narrate a history through visuals; A sense of social commentary; Figurative art style; A rich and bright colour palette. Rick is strongly connected to this movement because he feels society wise nothing has really changed. It became our human nature to be consumed with the fulfillment of our desires at the expense of everything and everyone.