30 july 2024, Flor Linckens
The slowly unfolding images of Stef Driesen
Gallery Sofie Van de Velde is currently presenting a solo exhibition of Stef Driesen in their Nieuw Zuid space in Antwerp. His work is characterised by large washes of gray tones with subtle colour accents that add depth and complexity to the composition. Using oil paint on both canvas and paper, the artist skillfully manipulates transparency and layering.
At first glance, Driesen's works appear abstract, but upon closer inspection, they often contain a hint of figuration: ghostly apparitions or the tangible suggestion of a body. At the same time, the paintings evoke memories of landscapes. Early in his career, Driesen was inspired by the compositions and palettes of the Old Masters from art history, including painters such as Van Eyck, Bruegel and Memling. However, in his abstract work, this inspiration is always implicit and intuitive.
Stef Driesen was born in 1966 in Hasselt and now lives and works in Brussels. He studied at the PXL-MAD School of Arts in Hasselt. His work has been exhibited at institutions such as Fondation Maeght, Dayton Art Institute Ohio, MuZEE, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens and the Neuberger Museum of Art New York, institutions that have also included his work in their collections. Additionally, his work is part of the Saatchi Collection and the Zabludowicz Collection. In 2015, the book 'Stef Driesen' was published, featuring a selection of 60 of his paintings.
