Abstract Night watchman

About "Abstract Night watchman"

by Arjen Roos

About the artwork

The abstract night watchman is an artwork that reflects my fascination with owls. I have always admired these solitary birds with a nocturnal lifestyle, which stand out for their large eyes, sharp ears and noiseless flight. I was inspired by the different species of owls found in Flanders, such as the tawny owl, barn owl, little owl and short-eared owl. I abstracted their shapes and colours into a dynamic and expressive whole, evoking the atmosphere of the night. The work is square in size and contains a lot of colour, but is also a bit on the dark side, befitting the theme of a nocturnal animal. The abstract night watchman invites the viewer to discover and admire the hidden world of owls. I have also used symbolism and references to other artworks depicting owls. For instance, the title of the work is a nod to Rembrandt's famous painting The Night Watch, which also features an owl. And the shapes of the eyes and wings were inspired by the paint strokes of Van Gogh's Starry Night.
In many cultures, the owl represents wisdom, but also foolishness or mischief. I play with these conflicting meanings and give my own interpretation to this mysterious animal. I combine realism and fantasy, light and shadow, form and colour into a unique and original work of art that attracts and challenges attention. The abstract night watchman is an ode to the owl as a beautiful and intriguing creature.

Conceived by Arjen Roos, visualized with AI.