On view until December 22
Following his successful first solo exhibition, Diego Boonen (b. 1993) returns to Gallery Hioco Delany with PEARL IN A RUSTY LOCK. This collection presents ten paintings in which Boonen explores and refines his recognizable style. PEARL IN A RUSTY LOCK is an ode to memories fading into obscurity due to the turbulence of the outside world.
In PEARL IN A RUSTY LOCK, Boonen once again depicts solitary figures who seem estranged. The characters interact only minimally with their surroundings, their gaze consciously separated from the environment in which they exist. In this way, Boonen creates an antithesis: isolated figures within an idyllic, warm world. His work thus reflects the experience of modern individuals who, despite difficult realities, can still find beauty in memory.
The cinematic scenes in this collection act as memento mori: reminders of human mortality and the fragility of memory. Boonen amplifies this symbolism by leaving certain details undefined in some works. This blending of details—such as the unfinished outline of a coat rack or a cat whose color merges with the wallpaper—symbolizes the fading nature of memories.
Boonen’s painting technique combines dark tones with soft pastels, creating a dreamy atmosphere. In this series, he starts each work with a dominant color, the monotone base enhancing the merging of details. In some paintings, Boonen has cut and re-stitched parts of the canvas; this cut-and-sew technique contributes to the theme of fragmentation, aligning with the collection’s overall theme of impermanence.
For the first time, Boonen shifts his focus beyond landscapes, venturing into painting interiors as the setting for his characters on the canvas. He draws primary inspiration from historical photographs, which offer him an escape from present-day reality and evoke a timeless, melancholic world.
PEARL IN A RUSTY LOCK is a logical progression from Boonen's previous exhibition at Gallery Hioco Delany, RED ROSES & WHITE HORSES. With these works, he continues to build on his imaginative portrayal of the past, refining his work conceptually and technically. The exhibition provides a fascinating overview of Boonen’s growth as an artist and his ongoing search for a deeper depiction of the past.
Text by Jens Roothoofd
