Dutch artist paints using old twisted credit cards

I can't remember how I stumbled on the work of Pepijn Simon, but I am glad I found his paintings. I won't pretend for a minute to fully understand the black and white portraits of the Dutch artist, but there's something disturbing in his work that breeds discomfort.

Simon grew up in the Netherlands and studied photography in Amsterdam. Soon, however, photography started to feel limiting, so he began to paint. His work is made particularly recognizable by his use of thick "brushstrokes" that shape the abstract figures. For Simon, these paintings are an expression of miscommunication between people and the reflected emotions.

From his website:

Simon paints without the use of any brushes. In fact, he is using old twisted credit cards. He begins with a black painted canvas and paints while it’s still wet. He applies the white paint without any sketching or use of photographs. "I try to catch the person who reveals himself in the paint at that moment. This goes very fast. Shortly afterwards, I decide, while the paint is still wet, if it can stay or not. If not, then I start the process again."

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