Rust map of the Netherlands - black

This map is a variation of the original Rust map of the Netherlands, based on a creamy white ship hull (RAL 9001). As with the Rust World Map, also available in this webshop, I made a version with a black steel surface (RAL 9004).

This steel has been affected by the ravages of time: there are scratches, pits and bumps, there is dirt and the beginnings of algae growth. But the most striking is of course the large rust area, which follows the exact contours of the Netherlands. Within those contours the major rivers can also be distinguished. Below the regions of Achterhoek, South Limburg, Brabant and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen the rust leaves its mark in the form of leakage marks.

Of course, this is not a photograph, but a digital work of art. Made by superimposing textures and filters in Photoshop until the illusion, in my opinion, was perfect.

You could see this work as a cynical commentary on the state of the Netherlands, but it is not intended that way. Rust, and other signs of weathering and decay, simply produce beautiful shapes, colors and patterns. As if nature is reclaiming some ground from technology. Besides, what could be more fitting for a seafaring nation like the Netherlands than a ship's hull?