Anyone familiar with Elles’ work knows that she is tirelessly fascinated by the work of Vincent van Gogh, mainly because of his unparalleled sense of tone and colour. Van Gogh collected many Japanese woodblock prints during his life and this motivated Elles to create a work inspired by the Japanese prints.
In her own characteristic and enchanting style, Elles creates an artistic impression of reality, using cinematographic aspects to experience the Eye Filmmuseum in a new way.
At the bottom left of the drawing, 7 figures are sitting together on a bench. The 7 figures were drawn from 3 models. As often happened in early Japanese woodcuts, the patterns on the clothing of the figures in Elles’ artwork symbolize the themes within the design and refer to film, water and Amsterdam.
On the far left you see Lulu, with a pattern on her jacket that can be found in Dutch folklore. In addition, anchors can be recognized on Casper’s jacket. In a city like Amsterdam, which is always on the move, the anchor offers a sense of connection, security, stability and safety.
The 3 St. Andrew’s crosses from the coat of arms of Amsterdam are also featured on Mette’s trousers. On her sweater you see the P for Patta, a very popular Amsterdam clothing brand that serves as a picture of the times. The Daily Paper logo has been incorporated into a pattern for Casper’s jacket again. On the right, Mette is wearing a cap with a typical Dutch sailing boat. On the jacket you will find a pattern of clipboards that refers to the film. The dots on her trousers are inspired by the logo of The New Originals. To the right of Mette you will find Lulu again with a sweater full of Dutch tulips and a jacket with Hollandse Nieuwe (herring). Finally, we see Casper on the far right with both trousers and a jacket that refer to the film role.
Via the youth on the bench, your eye is led to the seagull. The seagull symbolises freedom, but also carefree, hope and love.
The wing of the seagull moves in a flowing movement with the interplay of lines of Amsterdam Central Station. These lines are again an impetus to the clouds that as a group refer to the All Saints’ Flood in 1170 AD that gave the Netherlands its shape and Amsterdam a direct connection to the sea.
The spiral takes you to the top left, where special rays of light from the sun shine through the clouds.
Via the compositional vortex you arrive at the Clipper Amsterdam; a popular ship, built on behalf of the Municipality of Amsterdam, among others, that always decorates Het Ij and the Eye Film Museum fantastically beautifully during Sail Amsterdam. The IJ, which literally means ‘water’, can no longer exist in Amsterdam without the ferry, perhaps one of the most literal current symbols of connection in Amsterdam.
The artwork ‘Het Eye Filmmuseum’ will soon be on display in the shop of Het Eye Filmmuseum.
Size original artwork including frame: h x b = 66,5 x 86 cm / 26,2 x 33,9 inch
Material: pencil, ink, colorproof markers (Faber Castell)
About Elles Middeljans
Elles Middeljans is a Dutch artist and entrepreneur based in Amsterdam. She is renowned for her intricate and imaginative illustrations that capture the essence of urban life and natural landscapes. Her work often highlights the whimsical and erratic details of cities, aiming to evoke memories and inspire imagination.
Elles studied Public Space at the Design Academy Eindhoven, which has influenced her artistic perspective. In addition to her art, she is the founder of ELLES, a creative studio specializing in unique art prints and wallcoverings that bring a playful and colorful touch to interior spaces.
Her collaborations include projects with institutions like the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, where she encourages others to explore drawing as a means of connecting with their surroundings.
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