Wouter Van Kelle Artist talk @ the OAG

Join us at the Ottawa Art Gallery – Galerie d’art d’Ottawa in (The Studio) for Wouter Van Kelle’s Artist Talk where he will be discussing his work and his time here as an Artist in Residence at the Ottawa School of Art

Elevated Reliefs is the result of a two month research in the qualities of acrylic and oil paint. Van Kelle’s main goal on his residency at the Ottawa School of Art is to take the opportunity to start from scratch and develop the conceptualization of the materials. In using different medium and layers, adding and scratching the paint, Van Kelle creates an illusion of depth in his work. This illusion is strengthened by the distance put between the wall and the sculptures. In doing so, Van Kelle stays in touch with his desire to approach painting in a non conventional sense.

In the next month of his residency Van Kelle will focus on conceptualizing his work in writing. This includes preparing for an artist talk which will be held later in November.

Van Kelle’s main focus is to reinterpret the art of painting, literally from the ground up. He hopes that this approach will evoke a discussion on the definition of what painting can be. This involves reflecting on questions such as: What can be defined as a painting? Does it need to meet certain standards or criteria. Does a painting have to be painted with paint or can it be painted with other materials? Does the surface have to meet certain requirements? For example; is it necessary for a painting to be made on paper or canvas, and is it a prerequisite to be a two-dimensional surface?

To add to this research, Van Kelle starts of by exploring the basic qualities of paint. In doing so he explores how certain paint reacts to the qualities of different surfaces. He strives to make this visible to the viewer by allowing them to look through the layers of paint. This can be done with the use of light, the way the painting is placed in the room, or by leaving parts of the surface uncovered and see-through or just a bit opaque. In painting this way Van Kelle’s focus is solely on form over function. In his research for a universal form-language he looks further than material or colour. Within the strokes presented in each work, he strives for a balance between easy-accessibility and highly-researched and well-conceptualised art.