Carel Willink's Paintings Foreshadow Pandemic Desolation

An article by Luca Cantore D'Amore on Artribune examines how the paintings of Dutch master Carel Willink (1900–1983) eerily anticipate the desolation experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author argues that Willink's work, which he himself labeled "Imaginary Realism" rather than Magic Realism, evokes a sense of abandonment and entrapment. The paintings depict silent, timeless spaces where figures appear isolated, mirroring the lockdown experience. Willink's nostalgia is described as unresolved and overwhelming, akin to the European sublime where nature is hostile and humans are insignificant. The article suggests that during the pandemic, the world feels alien and severe, much like Willink's desolate scenes. The piece is part of a series titled "La vita fantasma" (The Ghost Life) on Artribune, which has previously explored themes of anxiety in art by Munch, De Chirico, Hopper, and Sironi.