29 november 2024, Yves Joris
A salty breeze of images: Max Kesteloot at PONTI
In an age where images overwhelm us and visual media dominates, Max Kesteloot offers an invitation to stillness and introspection. His latest exhibition, No one else can feel it for you at PONTI, invites viewers to reconnect with what often escapes our attention. Born in 1990 in Ostend, Kesteloot focuses his gaze on the in-between spaces, the seemingly trivial moments of daily life. Through snapshots from his travels, he transforms the mundane into visually poetic canvases, balancing between abstraction and familiarity. How does an artist translate such personal moments into something universal? With this question in mind, we enter his world.
The art of seeing: An invitation to slow down
The exhibition’s title, No one else can feel it for you, immediately sets the tone. It feels like an exhortation, almost a warning, to pause and reflect on what is often overlooked. Kesteloot's work revolves around slowing down, about capturing moments that seem fleeting and everyday, but resonate on a deeper level. His decision to work with a compact mini printer during road trips is an act of mindfulness, a way to prevent the moment from slipping away.
These snapshots, ranging from rows of weathered palm trees to reflections in shop windows, are meticulously translated into paintings. This process is not merely technical; it’s an intensive reinterpretation. What stands out is how the transition from digital to analogue doesn’t diminish the original image’s charm, but enhances it. Through his technique, in which he transfers colour pigments from A3 paper prints onto Belgian linen, Kesteloot adds a unique layer that suggests motion and time. His work elevates the banal to the universal, touching on shared memories—of places and feelings that are familiar, yet just out of reach.
Max Kesteloot, Untitled Painting, Benidorm (ES), 2023, PONTI
Tension between abstraction and familiarity
In his recent work, a clear shift towards abstraction can be seen. While earlier paintings referenced specific objects or scenes, he now experiments more with negative space and suggestions. One piece, in which the reflection of metal tableware subtly merges with the background, seems to teeter on the edge of recognisability. Kesteloot consciously invites his viewers to form their own narrative.
His creative process is a continuous dialogue with the image. He steps back, reexamines and then intervenes with refined precision. This method results in paintings that, despite their digital origins, retain a warm and artisanal character. The transition from image to canvas is not merely a technical act, but a reinterpretation that invites interaction. His paintings, some of which have a cinematic grain, evoke the impression of a ‘before’ and an ‘after’—as if time is momentarily stretched to create space for contemplation.
Max Kesteloot, Untitled Study, 2024, PONTI
Between the wind and asphalt
Kesteloot's travels are an essential part of his practice. With a mattress in the trunk, he traverses landscapes, from Ostend to the Spanish Costa Brava, in search of what he calls ‘forgotten corners’, places that seem unremarkable but, in his eyes, contain stories. He captures these fragments with a handycam or compact camera, as if collecting fleeting moments like insects on a windshield.
This nomadic aspect is palpable in the exhibition. His images suggest a salty breeze, an endless road and the warmth of a Mediterranean sun. Details, like a yellow rose or a shadow over a wall, evoke an almost cinematic experience. You can’t help but think of the desolate romance of Americana: abandoned gas stations and weathered neon signs. Yet the work remains firmly rooted in his own world. It is as much Ostend as it is California.
This connection between place and emotion is what makes his work so unique. Kesteloot does not create spectacles, but instead compels you to notice what you might otherwise overlook. In his own words: “I’m searching for places that intrigue me”. This search translates into images that inspire reflection and allow us to recognise something of ourselves in those forgotten corners.
Max Kesteloot, Untitled Painting, Madrid (ES), 2024, PONTI
No one else can feel it for you, a personal journey
The title of the exhibition also calls for introspection. Art, like life, is ultimately a personal experience. Kesteloot doesn’t provide ready-made answers, but poses questions. His paintings are not conclusions but openings, an invitation to look, feel and lose yourself in the details.
In a world inundated with images, Kesteloot's work serves as a counterbalance. He embraces the imperfect and accidental, transforming it into something timeless. His paintings are not only aesthetic, but also meditative; they invite us to slow down and reflect. Visitors to the exhibition are taken on a journey through the artist’s eyes. Ultimately, as the title suggests, it’s up to us to feel.
With No one else can feel it for you Max Kesteloot offers a unique perspective on the art of the everyday. It is an exhibition that not only allows us to look but also to feel—in a way only we can understand.
Max Kesteloot, No One Else Can Feel It For You, PONTI
