Chris Orr

English, 1943

lives and works in London

Artist's CV >>

'Travelling through Holland early in 2012 I visited Delft with the intention of making a drawing from the very spot Vermeer worked. Sadly, not only did Vermeer probably make it up from composite memories but the city had changed radically too. Continuing my journey I found more typically "Dutch" scenes in other places such as Friesland and the town of Harlingen was the main inspiration for this print, but it does incorporate bits of buildings in Delft and Haarlem. It gathers together other artists than Vermeer. Edvard Munch makes an appearance and there is a homage to Seurat's wonderful drawings. The mysterious boat leaving like the Flying Dutchman is called The Caspar David Friedrich. Harlingen was stuffed full of wonderful square rigged sailing boats as well as elaborate baroque houses. My picture is a celebration of the atmospheric and metaphorical feelings that were conjured up for me by the place and by those artists.'