Guy Van Bossche Belgium, b. 1952
Guy Van Bossche is a remarkable artist who has made a significant impact on Belgian painting since the early 1980s. His body of work, based on both existing and self-conceived imagery, is characterized by a critical and profound exploration of the human condition. Van Bossche describes his work as an ongoing investigation into "the qualities of discomfort." In his artistic practice, he questions our place within a changing world, exploring and reshaping themes such as violence, mental cruelty, censorship, freedom, power, identity, and temporality through the lens of painting.
A distinctive aspect of Van Bossche's work is the influence of photography. His paintings reveal a fascination with framing, cropping, and close-ups. Starting from photography, he reduces a three-dimensional scene to a flat constellation, consciously liberating the painterly act from the restrictive task of reproduction. By employing unusual framing of seemingly banal subjects, such as interiors and swimming pools, he uncovers hidden layers of meaning. This approach lends a cinematic, surreal quality to relatively innocent scenes. The muted colors and dramatic use of light contribute to a restrained painting style, amplifying the sense of estrangement and unease conveyed by his works.
Central to his work are the iconographic issues it raises. His paintings remind us that pictorial representation is crucial because sensory experience undermines any direct understanding of a scene as realistic. His work compels us into a world of meaning that bends both technique and subject to its own logic. Van Bossche often omits the most defining parts of his paintings, creating an enigmatic ambiguity. He erases the superfluous narrative context, frequently stripping the images of characters and details or placing them entirely out of their original context. Remarkably, with the sparse information left in the paintings, Van Bossche initiates a process of tension and alienation, transforming familiar images into something intriguing and unsettling. This approach creates a sense of timelessness and uneasiness, imbuing the depicted scenes with a deep resonance from which personal associations and complex meanings can emerge.
His paintings embody a certain detachment and an analytical view of reality where uncomfortable truths lurk behind the façade of everyday existence. They serve as instruments for reflection and introspection, inviting the viewer to peel away layers of meaning and discover a multifaceted reality.
Guy Van Bossche had, among others, major soloshows at M HKA – Antwerp, Centro de Arte – Salamanca and De Garage – Mechelen. The artist is represented in museum collections such as S.M.A.K. – Ghent, M HKA – Antwerp and MU.ZEE – Ostend.
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Inflatable Object, Wild Lemon, 2024
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Inflatable Objects, 2024
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The Ventriloquist V, 2024
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Wild Lemons, 2024
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Inflatable Object, 2021
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Curtain III, 2020-2021
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Bird, 2020
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Chair Hidden by an Inflatable Object, 2020
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The Passage, 2020
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The Ventriloquist IV, 2020
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Untitled (Bird), The Collectors Mind, 2020
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Curtain I, 2019-2020
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Bijl in Gordijn I, 2019
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Bijl in Gordijn II, 2019
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Early Morning, 2017
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Life Jacket, 1996
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The Storage Painting, 1990
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Audition #1, 1988-1989
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ART ANTWERP 2024
Dec 12 - 15, 2024Keteleer Gallery is very pleased to present a group exhibition for Art Antwerp 2024 consisting of works by Joëlle Dubois, Antoine Roegiers, Valgerður Sigurðardóttir, Clara...Read more -
ART COLOGNE 2024
Nov 7 - 10, 2024KETELEER GALLERY is very pleased to announce its 4th participation in Art Cologne. More info HERE .Read more
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Guy Van Bossche and Patrick Van Caeckenbergh at S.M.A.K., Ghent (BE)
Sep 27, 2024Guy Van Bossche and Patrick Van Caeckenbergh are part of PRESENTS, a group exhibition at S.M.A.K., Ghent (BE). PRESENTS is the museum’s second exhibition of...Read more -
Guy Van Bossche at Kunsthalle Recklinghausen (DE)
Aug 21, 2024Guy Van Bossche is part of the group exhibition ROKADE - STREETSPACE BANGER, organised by TICK TACK at Kunsthalle Recklinghausen (DE). In 2024, TICK TACK...Read more -
announcing the representation of guy van bossche
Jun 13, 2024KETELEER GALLERY is proud to announce the exclusive representation of Belgian artist Guy Van Bossche (°1952. Mortsel, BE). Guy Van Bossche is a remarkable artist...Read more