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Johvan Van Mullem, P20002, 2020, Ink on kappa, Signed, 180 x 140 cm
“If we open people up, we’d find landscapes”
-Agnes Varda
We at Neon Gallery are delighted to present a new body of work that boldly shifts the focus away from a cultural anthropophagical approach of self-examination, zooming out to explore nature and natural environments as a stage for contemplation of one’s psyche. The artist’s kaleidoscopic new works appear to shift in and out of focus, creating an illusion of travelling backward and forward in time. While he is often linked to certain artists and artistic movements, the timeless essence of his works is expressed through an infinite movement that can be seen as both romantic, in a Renaissance-infused manner, and yet entirely contemporary. His works are fluid in execution and form, and his enigmatic style is highly distinguishable, delivered in an emotionally moving manner that has attracted and fascinated audiences across the international art scene.
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The New Series of Works by Johan Van Mullem
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Johan Van Mullem, P20007, 2020, Ink on kappa, Signed, 70 x 70 cm
"Painting has always been something unreachable for me. When you say breath, I see light and colour. I paint (I see) with emotion, and emotion is pure energy. I paint what is not seen but is there in all of us. My work is with the soul."
- Johan Van Mullem
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Johan Van Mullem, P20022, 2020, Ink on canvas, Signed, 140 x 100 cm
Born in the Congo, a son of flemish diplomats, Johan Van Mullem's early experiences were of travel and international relocation; living in such countries as Sweden, Germany, Tunisia, UK, US, and Belgium (currently living in Brussels) where the artist came into contact with a wide range of cultures, backgrounds, traditions and systems of living. Having such wildly diverse cultural and geographical experiences early in life shaped Van Mullem's mind to see behind what the eye can see and begin a life long exploration into the commonalities of humans and nature - the conscious energy that all life shares, not just humans beings, but all living entities. His portraits examine the invisible inner territory that impacts the outer human experience, inquisitively exploring the forces underlying physical existence. Van Mullem ventures into a delicate space — how humans portray themselves in culture and attempt to reach behind the veil, painting and giving life to the powerful unseen forces of the universal human experience: the eternal soul. The artist is infinitely more interested in similarities and connections than differences and separations. What makes us alike? What do we all have in common are answers that drive the artist practice. "We all share heartbeats, minds that think, breathing, inspiration, and souls which are connected to nature." Van Mullem’s work can be found in numerous public and private collections internationally, including collections in Brussels, London, New York, Paris, Mexico, Los Angeles and at the Musee d’Ixelles in Belgium. He has most recently exhibited at the Ciurlionis National Art Museum in Lithuania and the Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins in France.
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"inspiration is letting yourself get carried away with what is around you"
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Iconic Portraits & Landscapes
Johan Van Mullem : This months artist in spotlight
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