In a contemporary art scene which presents an increasingly exaggerated spectacle, becoming ever more complex or post-conceptual and shamelessly recyclative, the work of Ruth van Haren Noman consciously flirts with decorative painting. The odd shapes, the atypical colour combinations, the well-balanced compositions give her oil paintings a mysterious and enchanting character. It is however still the artist's task to challenge the visual experience of the spectator. Good art usually follows its own consistent path.