In the city centre, a special art project is being worked on: a mural in honour of the Eindhoven artist Cornelis le Mair. A group of painters from ‘De Strakke Hand’ are working on the self-portrait of Le Mair because of his eightieth birthday.
Cornelis le Mair is best known for his traditional still lifes. His work is sometimes compared to the old masters, although Le Mair remains modest about it. For example, he calls himself ‘an ordinary provincial painter who does his best’.
Nervous
Painter Roosmarijn ten Hoopen, part of the art collective De Strakke Hand, finds creating the mural exciting. “We often paint artists who are no longer alive, but Le Mair is still alive. That makes me a bit more nervous because we will also hear what he thinks about it.” According to Ten Hoopen, it is also a challenge to convert a small portrait into a large mural. “That is why we sometimes step back to look at the bigger picture.”
Tribute
Cornelis le Mair graduated cum laude in 1968 from the art academy of Antwerp in portrait and figure painting. He currently lives in Eindhoven, surrounded by his own art and collectables.
The artists of De Strakke Hand will continue to work in the coming weeks to complete the tribute to Cornelis le Mair. The job should be finished before winter.
For Eindhoven News: Beena Arunraj
