Karel Buskes (b. 1962) is, understandably, becoming a recognised forerunner of the exciting contemporary movement of New Dutch Realism. As with other artists working in this new genre, Buskes manages to allude to the paintings of the Dutch Golden Age whilst, at the same time, presenting extremely modern images.
Karel Buskes' new exhibition of stunning paintings of black and white dairy cattle echoes the work of the Dutch Realists, making use of exquisite composition and glorious passages of texture and colour.

The crisp black and white colouring has replaced the range of earthy red-browns used mainly by the traditional painters and the overall impact is absolutely fresh and contemporary.
Pastoral scenes were popular subjects for the Dutch Realists of the 16th and 17th centuries. Cows contentedly grazing in fields would be used as symbols of the rural idyll (an open, peaceful and self-sufficient existence). This new work pays homage to the paintings of the Dutch Realists in which cows often look at the viewer and the textures of the hide, horns, eyes and shiny nose are portrayed in fantastic detail. However, Buskes cows are themselves, contemporary. Above all, they seem to have a type of media awareness, even posing for the artist and 'closing in' to construct a group portrait.

Buskes seems to have, in effect, taken his cows out of the open landscape into a studio setting, using soft lighting and backdrops of plain colour. The poses, close ups and character studies are often closely cropped and, as with fashion style images, the viewer is able to gaze at bone structure, texture, colour and expression.

The painting technique appears to echo the focal field often associated with photography - with sharp delineation in the foreground and often a softer brush technique as the subject recedes into the middle ground. These are wonderful paintings and form a strong, highly individualistic body of work.

Karel Buskes' paintings form an important part of the progressive movement of New Dutch Realism and well deserve the current attention of the art establishment. Karel Buskes is represented by Mokum Gallery in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.