In the work "Hoekplintje / Corner Plinth", decorative elements of trim are nearly concealed within wood framing. Both the juxtaposition of materials and the design appear self-contradicting. Van Elk warped the dimensional properties of the mediums he used to reveal the inherent illusion of their perceptual realms and called into question traditional genres and compositional choices.

The use of banality to challenge expectations was another tool used by Van Elk. He suspended the ordinary functions of genres and mediums as a means to jar his audience from habits of viewing. Throughout his long career he continued to reject the hegemony of any one genre or medium. Van Elk’s exploration of limits and borders within art-making – exemplified by "Hoekplintje / Corner Plinth" – calls into question the framing devices and restages those devices as the work itself.