Fleur De Roeck
Fleur De Roeck's paintings, objects and sculptures are unique for at least three reasons.
Firstly, because of her color palette. Bright areas of color are precisely dosed but applied with such nonchalance that it becomes fun to look at. Secondly, the way she uses lines and dots, they return as recognizable elements: her brushwork originates from her daily practice. De Roeck uses Chinese ink, because she likes the idea that you only have one chance to create an artwork. She doesn't overthink it; it rather comes naturally. That directness provides her work with a spontaneous and approachable character, even though the world she evokes is often dark and wild. For example, the dots can portray eyes, or flower buds, or celestial bodies, another time they might hint at a pattern. In addition, she often uses a grid, it could suggest a certain depth but the next second, she could skillfully deny it in the overall composition. Finally, the color white is abundantly present. It functions as a background or as a resting point, or to create cutouts in underlying paint layers. She plays with texture and the gaze of the viewer.
The smaller objects and sculptures are equally important as her paintings. The stones, pieces of bark, carpets and sculptures are created with a surprising simplicity and match the un-fashionable qualities that are also present in her paintings. Her work is more related to the twentieth century, than to today’s art. The fact that her work isn’t fashionable, might just give it the strong personality.
De Roeck lives and works in Antwerp, a city where shades of gray rule. When Vincent Van Meenen visits her in her studio, she says that she longs for the foot of the Alps, where her parents grow wine. There the light is bright, the colors come out beautifully, and the spring water is so nice. Wouldn't she rather live there? No, that's a village. There the walls have eyes and ears, and the social fabric is in charge. Then she turns on the volume of the music and starts laughing loudly.
Vincent Van Meenen, 2020.
