Paul Beumer's 'Play become joy, joy becomes work, work becomes play' | 9 January - 2 February 2025
“What remains is colour, shape and technique. And within this limitation I look for magic. A carefully composed composition is able to transfer you to another world.” Paul Beumer.
Dutch artist Paul Beumer, was formally trained in painting at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and completed a residency at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. He, however, abandoned a studio practice, and chose instead to experience travel through textiles in non-western cultures. Each locale - China, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and India – has triggered a different creative response.
For Beumer textile-making is like painting. His subliminal abstractions distil the essence of his discoveries.
Paul Beumer’s first solo exhibition in India at ARTISANS', opens at Mumbai Galley Weekend 2025. He has created a new series of works in collaboration with weavers from Karūr in Tamil Nadu, inspired by the eponymous Madras checks. Beumer designed a pattern based on the checks, which he then took apart and rearranged into new compositions.
“I feel free to enter the world that the composition opens. I usually find objects that strive for perfection very boring. There is something more exciting lurking in nonchalance, something ruffled, cut or uncombed. It doesn’t lie. That is why my work is never finished to perfection.”
What is the central message in this exhibition?
"Play becomes joy, joy becomes work, work becomes play," a quote from Johannes Itten at the Bauhaus sums up the central message of Paul Beumer's work. Represented in the work is Itten’s defining contribution to our understanding of the changeable nature of colour, concluding that “colour is the most relative medium in art.”
Paul Beumer explores the language of modern art through the ancient craft of hand-weaving. He says, "For this series of works I've explored the possibilities of Madras Checks, which I have long-admired. Just when you think you've seen it all, you'll find a completely fresh looking one! Although simple, the simplicity is ever changing. I enjoy working with colour, form and technique. And within these limitations I search for magic."
Where do you find inspiration?
"My artistic practice is about the excitement of a beautiful smile seen for the first time; a taste never before tasted... These are moments when you feel alive. And when I encounter a new technique that I didn't know before, or an unexpected colour combination, I get that same feeling. I usually find objects that strive for perfection very boring. I feel more at home in a joyful chaos than in order. There is something exciting lurking in nonchalance, something ruffled, uncut or uncombed. It doesn't lie. That is why my work is never finished to perfection. The loose threads; something not cut completely straight... all these are traces of the human hand. These elements bring the piece to life", reflects Paul.
What are the unique techniques or materials used?
"I worked with the lungi weavers in Karūr, Tamil Nadu. The cotton is thin and tightly woven. It's strong, and yet it looks fragile. It is this contradiction that fascinates me. I consider my textile works as paintings."
Paul describes his three-step process: first, is the element of surprise, often an epiphany; second, are the local materials and methods themselves; and third, is letting go to manifest a new creation.
How does the choice of materials influence the overall message or aesthetic of your work?
"The material or technique that I explore has its own unique music that I try to turn into a new song," says Paul Beumer. He is alive to the tantalising optical and visual illusions of form and colour. “And within this limitation I look for magic. A carefully composed composition is able to transfer you to another world.”