Provenance

Estate Late J Jaakke.

Private Collection.

Notes

In his practice, Verster drew extensively from his archive, recycling elements from previous works and material he had gathered and stored throughout his house and studio in drawers, boxes, photographs, and scattered across every available surface.

The artist described himself as having an archaeologist's instinct for locating specific pieces, yet he often discovered unexpected elements that sparked entirely new directions in his work.

Verster's series of works depicting beaches highlights his ability to create loose approximations of subjects and objects that feel both naturalistic and illusory. His depictions of coastal scenes are intimate and relaxed, characterised by subtle and careful use of colour that suggests quietness and calm.

The seas he rendered are notably serene, with no sense of turbulence, serving as peaceful backdrops of tranquillity. The compositions are largely unpopulated, focusing on the environment and objects with little to no human presence. When figures do appear, they emerge as abstracted forms, mere suggestions as opposed to defined characters.

The series of works depicting beaches highlights Verster's ability to convey emotions through abstracted, floating brushstrokes and expansive swathes of colour, a painterly language that oversteps literal representation.