High above Antwerp, Nils Verkaeren found a temporary studio overlooking the bend in the Scheldt. From the upper floors of the Boerentoren, he painted the river at sunrise and sunset, as the changing light transformed the view.

For Verkaeren, working on location is essential. As a plein-air painter, he takes his canvases out into the landscape, where the weather, changing light and physical effort all help shape the painting. This approach has previously taken him to remote parts of Colombia. This time, he found a place to paint high above his own city.

The climb up the Boerentoren was also part of the process. The familiar Antwerp skyline became the starting point for paintings shaped by both the view and the experience of being there.