L’INCONNU Amsterdam

House Artist 11 · Charcoal

L’INCONNU Lucien Amstel

I draw the dark so that the light has somewhere to fall.

Window on the back wall, 1990. Charcoal on paper.
LX-LA-001 · Window on the back wall · 1990

Lucien Amstel covers the whole sheet in charcoal and draws by taking it away. What remains white is light: a window on a wall, a door left open, a patch of sun on the floor of an empty room.

For the House he drew the rooms of a canal house in the hour before evening, when the windows lay their shapes on the plaster and move a little with every minute.

Willow charcoal, a rag, a putty eraser.

Two panes, four o’clock, 1990. Charcoal on paper.
LX-LA-002 Two panes, four o’clock · 1990
Door left open, 1991. Charcoal on paper.
LX-LA-003 Door left open · 1991
Late light, front room, 1991. Charcoal on paper.
LX-LA-004 Late light, front room · 1991
Narrow window, 1992. Charcoal on paper.
LX-LA-005 Narrow window · 1992

House archive

  1. LX-LA-001Window on the back wall1990Charcoal on paper
  2. LX-LA-002Two panes, four o’clock1990Charcoal on paper
  3. LX-LA-003Door left open1991Charcoal on paper
  4. LX-LA-004Late light, front room1991Charcoal on paper
  5. LX-LA-005Narrow window1992Charcoal on paper