Raymond Lemstra

Only recently has Raymond Lemstra started to focus fully on drawing, having previously worked as a motion designer and as part of a performance group. In his drawings the Dutch artist references the iconic quality of indigenous art, with other influences ranging from the aesthetics of the Neue Sachlichkeit and Bauhaus to Magical Realism. Lemstra is interested in the abstraction inherent in these art forms, and the distortion resulting from selective emphasis on the head and face. His work rekindles a childlike sense of wonder within contained fantasy worlds where furry creatures blend with minimalist totemic masks and exquisite retro futurism.