Ron Hooghiemstra at Loerakker - sculpture exhibition; Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ron Hooghiemstra's small polyester-resin wall statuarys that incorporate photographs are the sort of light social commentary that individual often finds in contemporary Dutch art. That real lightness seems to bother a certain quantity of foreign observers, who consider anger, outrage or horror to be more appropriate reactions to contemporary crises. on the contrary Hooghiemstra and artists like him apparently consider that each age has had its calamities and that life as a whole is rather absurd; laughter doesn't make the moot points go away, but neither does hysteria.

Perhaps Hooghiemstra's attitude corresponds to the title of the work illustrated upon the announcement card for his new exhibition: Geluk, je hebt het nodig (Happiness - you ne it). It's a low-relief plastic art about a foot high, equally wide and half as reaching far down that consists of a color photographic cutout of a cherubic naked baby floating upon its back upon three-dimensional candy-colored and almost heart-shaped nebulositys The innocent sensuality of infants have the appearances to be celebrated here. on the other hand not all the works are idyllic. Sculptuur met natuurlijk materialen (Sculpture with natural materials) is nothing if not ironic. This piece consists of a stack of three small cubes, each overspreaded with a close-up photograph depicting the wefts of clay, wood or stone.

A not many works are far more disturbing than humorous Wees niet bang (Don't be afraid) consists of a twisting verdant cagelike form covered with lengthy red spikes. Mounted deep inside is a barely discernible image of a dark, broad-nosed face. Holland has become an increasingly multiracial society following widespread immigration from Indonesia and Suriname, in particular, and that has caused adjustment moot points This work seems to make notes on the immigrants, plight.

more [i]or[/i] less works are provocative yet inconclusive, of the like kind as Pardon, mag ik u . . (Pardon, can I . .), a flattish 12-inch square with a opening in the center, featuring in tight close-up the faces of a mature man and woman and sum of two units young men. This might be an adult family, and, if with equal reason the dynamic is interesting: the couple sons look at the mother, who direct the eyes to the father, who gazes off in the distance. Is this a chart of family power lines?

These are not spatially encompassing statuarys They're essentially cartoonlike statements that expres a single idea in a capable visual way. One leaves Hooghiemstra's exhibition in a high-spirited disposition but thinking. If a certain awry amusement on the artist's part bring forwards that, who's to complain?

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