Cross Cut
By using innovative techniques like laser engraving and etching, and adding contemporary elements to historical scenes, Rob conveys the parallels and juxtapositions of the past and the present.
Rob Niezen is a painter, printmaker and illustrator. He paints mostly in oils, and his printmaking includes etchings and linocuts.
Cross Cut is a series of linocuts created in 2022 that reflect on traditional songs from Ontario with a contemporary perspective. The exhibition aims to connect our recent history and today’s society, and the issues we face as citizens of Ontario and Canada.
Each linocut is accompanied by a folk song, the origins of which date back to between 1820 and 1920.The narratives of the chosen collection of songs cover themes that are universal and of a timeless nature, as they deal with human existence and social and societal issues: immigration, work and leisure, politics and war, crime and justice, physical and mental health, love and death, and so on.
Superficially things have changed, but the human conditions now seem not that different from 100 or 200 years ago. Has life improved, or is progress only on a materialistic level? Folk songs make global issues accessible to everyone, as they are created and sung by real people telling real human stories.
By using innovative techniques like laser engraving and etching, and adding contemporary elements to historical scenes, Rob conveys the parallels and juxtapositions of the past and the present.
Click here to listen to the songs on Rob's bandcamp page.
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