Jonas Vanderbeke

Lives and works in Ghent.

Jonas graduated with a master’s degree in arts from KASK in Ghent and is a teacher at the academy of Tielt and Wetteren.

The artist owns a large digital archive of images that appeal to him. These images he finds online, in magazines and books, in films, on old documents, etc. Each image bears a mark of beauty, both from the past and as a modern symbol of beauty; nowadays often considered as kitsch. Flowers are omnipresent in his oeuvre, and once again the symbolism of the flower plays a crucial role. For example, the violet that represents humility, modesty, and love.
By combining old and new images into a digital collage, a new work is created. Floral motifs often subtly conceal or accentuate parts of the human body. Jonas Vanderbeke carefully balances all this before transferring the collage onto canvas. Once on canvas, the artist does not deviate from his collage. Smoothly spread oil paint in striking colors alternates with charcoal drawings. If you look closely, you will discover a world of figuration and symbolism among the seemingly abstract forms.