JOHAN VAN DEN BROECK
Acrylic - Gouache - Charcoal - Chalk - Digital - Photos

Johan Van den broeck (°Antwerp 1949) was given an artistic training in the School of Art  St.Lucas in Brussels. He was trained in different disciplines such as gouache, charcoal and chalkdrawing or pastel.

The artist's oeuvre can be discribed as “opening up new horizons” - for different reasons.
First:  the artist clearly is in search of the dividing line between the Figurative and Abstract. As a result, we cannot categorize the works  as figurative/abstract or one of both. Depending on the way we look at them, we feel them figurative/abstract or one of both.

The works also present utmost powerful lines, both austere and very flowing. As such it is in fact a great contrast to the search of the 'dividing lines'.
Examples can be found  in the austere chalk drawings which reveal high tension, even more explicit by using black and white as colours.
Other examples are found in works  where colours are used : the flowing line is always present, even when bright colours are caught in beautiful and powerful lines.

An other characteristic of Johan Van den broeck's work is the intense, and frankly powerful use of colours.

Johan van den broeck always uses pure colours, which give a deep impression.
The colours are merely put in in a specific way: they change in the incidence of light.
One and the same work can be seen intimately, through medium light; if the light is intensified, you can witness more bright, full colours.
And then there is the 'lining' in the work. The artist merely uses clearly lined coloured surfaces, meeting each other in plain power. Nevertheless, we see in Johan's work a subtle mixture of colours, where brush movements still are to be seen, and where colours mix or seem to switch to one another.

Yet another characteristic in Johan's work is the regularly turning up of some specific forms – such as masks and eyes, however hollow – they provide some mysterious atmosphere by trying to connect figurative and non-figurative details.
In Johan's work we might find  some further trends by using different materials, such as
- charcoal on paper
- charcoal and chalk on paper (sometimes chalk-drawings)
- gouache on paper
- acryl paint on canvas
- photos

There are completely different trends to be found in his work, e.g. Digital works, made by computer. Such a composition does not affect its qualities or characteristics, on the contrary. Working digitally is very advantageous to the artist : it allows him to 'try out' colours, forms, etc. However, all works start from an earlier drawing or painting.

And yet another characteristic is to be found in this artist's work :he is very concerned about  the final touch of the work.Not only is he very fond of and knows much about the materials with which he works (paint, varnish, paintbrushes, paper, frames....) his feeling for the final detail is a surplus value to his work.
All is experienced and neatly finished. The maker's skill makes it special and unique.

Tamara Ingels
Doctor of Archaeology and Arts

www.reliablecounter.com

Johan Van den broeck / Vlaams kunstenaar / Flemish artist, Paardenkerkhofstraat 6, 2800 Mechelen