A quick look at...Rik Smits...

I recently found some work by Holland born Rik Smits.
His intricately detailed drawings and foam built imaginary city models are intriguing, confusing and entertaining to see. Inspired by Paul Noble his pencil drawings show a contrast between religion and capitalism, capitalism seems to be winning, and most are works derived from his own imagination mixed with slashes of reality. They look sic-fi inspired, maybe a glimpse of the future when the earth is flooded due to climate change? This also raises the fact that the works look at the environment and whats going on in the world through the changes that are happening in the cities.
My own drawings of the city tend to lack people amongst the structures and Smits' work is the same. His scenes are also empty of human life.
Possibly, like myself, he's more interested in the structures and what they do on their own rather than the people and lives that fill the spaces in-between.
I'm more interested with how these buildings are shaped and connected, their structural beauty and the symmetry aspect of the city rather than the people living in them.
Looking at his collection of images I think Smits has the same view as myself;
We grow, we build, we multiply, but the space doesn't.