The Ducati Bike

The Ducati bike below is one of three belonging to Scott Metcalfe, who
is a photographer by profession and easy rider by avocation. He shoots the photographs of Arie’s studio and the paintings that go into Arie’s exhibition catalogues.
In an exercise of reciprocation, Scott brought his Ducati to Arie’s studio to be enhanced by Arie’s imagery. Scott had disassembled the bike in several parts, and Arie set to work on them.
The Ducati left side shows a flock of crows checking out a Pegasus.
The Ducati right side presents a woman’s profile with blonde hair surrounded by floating blossoms.
Close-ups to follow.

Arie paints Scott's Ducati, Left Side

Arie paints Scott's Ducati, Right Side

In Zürich, Switzerland

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder attended the opening of Arie Van Selm's exhibition in Winterthur/Zürich, Switzerland. Mr. Schröder gave the introductory speech. He found the large, expressive—yet generic—women's profiles especially interesting. The photograph shows Arie Van Selm in animated conversation with the Chancellor. They are standing in front of the painting "Vanadium Lady.”

Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder at Arie's Show

Arie in Dresden Museum, Germany

Two Themes

In 2005, Van Selm integrated the two themes, the female profile and the Tango-Bird, into one motif. The bird profile appears as an echo of the female profile, throwing her an inquisitive look. The bird may also appear floating ahead of the female profile with his tail tickling her nose. The bird variously entertains, frightens, nerves, tickles, the woman, with other possible relationships left to the viewer’s mindset.

Arie and Bird

Two-Tone Ambiance

Then, the Tango-Bird, as Van Selm calls him because of his self-confident strut, became a parallel subject matter to the women’s profiles. The bird represents something of a masculine principle in relation to the female profile. He is light-footed, playful and quirky. Some of his features mirror elements of the profiles. His feathers, for example, often repeat the swooping gesture the of the woman’s hair.

Profiles

When asked why he chose to paint human heads in profile, Van Selm explains it like this: The frontal face depends too much on individual features that largely obscure form. The profile, however, works with the contour line that encircles a clear and meaningful space. One line can designate form and likeness, create abstract contour and human expression simultaneously.

The solo women's profiles appeared first in the 1990s in large, canvas-filling format. These are the confident, self-assured women of today. With their forward-urging profile, they trail an assertive swoop of hair that curls up over their heads into an uplifting roundness. At times, the profiles show a double outline, an inner and outer life, so-to-speak. The heads seem to jet out of their space due to their powerful form and bold color.