Rutger van der Tas, 1980

In my work, I employ various techniques. Alongside traditional offline craftsmanship, preferably drawing and painting, I also utilize different programs and websites to create digital environments in which human figures play the main role.

Since 2019, I’ve been using Artbreeder (AI) to generate images that can be incorporated into my layered compositions. I use these digital images as references for physical work, which I then photograph, film, or scan to integrate into my digital artwork. My work exists in the physical and digital realms, and everything in between.

The theme that nourishes me revolves around the relationship between people and their digital environments and identities. Born in an era before widespread internet use, social media, and smartphones were common objects; I am familiar with both worlds. I observe our contemporary online presence and the developments that await us in the (near) future. I wonder where we are headed and how it will alter our lives…

I float between fact and fiction, between paint and pixels.