Robert Webster
Spring 2002
A substantial portion of Robert Webster's art involves the human being, transcience and the mysteries of life and death. This harmonised well in the context of the grounds in Den Dolder, where the presence of psychosis and death, and the fine line between the disturbed and normal states, are all feelable. In a film, Webster has documented the process of creating his large painting, La Vie, La Folie. The film also brings together all of the important themes associated with the complex.
The sources of Webster's inspiration for the painting also figure in the film. While he was working on the painting, a man appeared a few times, who banged on the window, screaming "what are you doing, in God's name? I want to come in!” and whose wish was indeed granted. Such encounters ultimately influenced the state of mind in which the painting came about.
