Daan Botlek
Daan Botlek is a Dutch illustrator and a visual artist who often works in urban environments. Inspired by Protagoras thought of ‘man is the measure of all things’, he uses the human form as a tool to measure existential situations by redefining ‘human scale’ and ‘rational thought’.
An ambiguous plane figure is his main character, which is either engaged or trapped with himself and/or others; he is multiplied, sleeted or sliced. Botlek uses surrealism, riddles, mathematics or humor to challenge reality. The outcome of his creations comes in the form of a drawing, cartoon, mural, installation, pattern. The artist’s endless explorations have made their way to several countries across the world through residencies, festivals, and exhibitions all across the world.
Lodhi Art District
New Delhi, 2019
Scaling his character onto the wall of Lodhi Colony, Daan created a never ending reincarnation cycle, where one character emerges from the other’s stomach. Delhi spring’s blue skies, read bombax ceiba flowers and shiny green trees enter into the mural, reminding that humanity absorbs its transient and evolving quality from nature.
F(r)iction at Kona
NEW DELHI, 2019
Working on the exterior facades of the St+art exhibition, Daan manipulated the human form, transforming its purpose and scale to depict an infinite outcome in meaning and context, or what he would call “a game of relativism, proportions and curiosities”.
ENTRANCE
On the entrance of the exhibition, he created an imagery of the human form caught in a fictitious world that is largely becoming controlled by technology. This character rearranged himself in a flux depicting a never ending cycle of self inflicting pain, which has arrived into our lives unknowingly.
EXIT
Every action subsequents to the birth of another. Depicting this analogy, Daan’s character is seen passing ‘it’/‘an action’ on in a satirical way. In a play with the architecture of a site, manipulating the purpose of its attributes, the artist also showcased a new visualization of the main facade of Jor Bagh Market.
SHUTTERS
The character becomes a yogi on the shutters, his flexibilities embodying the ironies of human life. Both shutters depict a unique confrontation with the self, encouraging the passersby to not only reflect deeper into the pieces, but into themselves.
St+art india
BANGALORE, 2016
When invited to paint a 200 meter underpass wall, Daan utilised the challenge as an advantage. The existing white stripes were transformed into dominos, falling, while being saved by Daan’s character. Dispersed across the wall, his character is seen running with his accomplices, trying to save this ‘domino effect’ from leading to ultimate destruction.
Maqta Art District
HYDERABAD 2016
Painted on the exterior walls of M S Maqta, Daan’s character comments on the ironical condition of the boundary wall being used as a space to urinate, despite it explicitly stating ‘Do not urinate.’ The character is seen taking a leak, while simultaneously being tossed down into the Hussain Sagar Lake by its giant sibling.
St+art India
MUMBAI, 2014
