Glitter in the Gutter: As sweet as it gets

Monday, March 24, 2014

As sweet as it gets

I was blown away by Belgium's very own Mr Michael Borremans whose work is currently exhibited at Bozar. Rarely has a contemporary painter made such a strong impression on me! At first glance you see a realistic representation of beauty yet Mr Borremans subtly burns little holes into logic, whilst ensuring that an underlying sense of menace is present in every canvas. The sarcasm with which he represents the telekinetic powers of The German, the jet black face of the otherwise romantic and breathtaking in size Angel and the playful, red, one-size-fits-all Devil's Dress are examples of how emptiness invites manipulation. Simplicity is deceptive and a touch of humour inserts some lightness in to characters that appear to be at the mercy of their creator.

"My work has to be very lavish, very charged and, at the same time, light, nothing."

"I like being sharply dressed while I am working. Like when you're going out or, in the past, going to mass. Out of respect for the work. I have noticed that my attitude and concentration improved as a result...You don't want to get dirty, so you paint a bit like a peintre seigneur. It has really brought about a change pf style in my work and technique. Suddenly, you feel like an aristocrat who is doing some painting, whereas previously you rooted around in the paint like a Jackson Pollock."

"I realise that my work both attracts and repels, but no, I don't do that deliberately...Lovely but peculiar. That is my character. I subscribe to the idea that the painter depicts nature and in doing so shows his own soul; but I don't depict nature, I just paint culture. So, actually I'm a bit of a no-romantic as well. I paint in the way that is the right way for me to present a particular image. Why, I don't know. Intuition, instinct, necessity...Why does a dog piss against a wall? An instinct, that's all it is."

Lovely people of Brussels and visiting friends this is definitely not to be missed! Enjoy a selection of my favourite pieces (out of the 100 pieces that are currently on display!).