- A survey of the work of Jean Brusselmans, one of the most original of
all Belgian Modernists The Flemish painter Jean Brusselmans (1884-1953)
was a contemporary of artists such as Constant Permeke and Gustave De
Smet. He began his artistic career at the height of Flemish
Expressionism, but he was far more than a pure Expressionist. His
ultimate goal was to reveal the harmonic order of things in his
paintings. Brusselmans' oeuvre cannot easily be pigeonholed into one
category or another. He was always searching for a refined, authentic
art, for the correct proportions and for the perfect balance between
figuration and abstraction. Brusselmans reduced reality to its essence.
He was profoundly influenced by, amongst other things, Belgian abstract
artists, constructivists, Cézanne's structural use of colour and the
objective idiom of Le Corbusier. Jean Brusselmans was one of the most
original artists of Belgian modernism. His innovative style was, and
still is, a source of inspiration for many contemporary artists. This
catalogue is published to coincide with a major exhibition by Jean
Brusselmans at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague (17 February - 10 June
2018), which will then travel to Chemnitz, Germany. The exhibition
focuses on the period 1931-1949, in which Brusselmans developed a highly
personal style and idiom. With text contributions from, amongst others,
Rudi Fuchs (art historian) and Hans Janssen (curator, Gemeentemuseum,
The Hague) and an interview with Jan Dibbets. Text in English and Dutch.
Contents: Preface by Benno Tempel; Interview with Jan Dibbets;
Brusselmans Revisited by Rudi Fuchs; On the Visual Motif in the Work of
Jean Brusselmans by Hans Janssen; Catalogue; Biography.
