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Jean De Groote 1955
Woont in Nazareth. Werkt in Nazareth.
Vertegenwoordigd door:
Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche
Jean De Groote - The Painter of Silence
While blue chip artists constantly seek the limelight, Jean De Groote prefers to lock himself up in his very own Eleusis: his studio. In this holies of holy, he tries to capture the essence of things. With his painting brush acting as a philosopher’s stone, he distills what is considered golden: silence.
With every trace of visual noise eliminated, Jean’s paintings leave a serene, zen-like impression. Freed of cheap sentiment, “a rose is a rose is a rose.” Even the most banal objects are transformed into sacred artefacts. A miserable lamp is worshipped as a relic. A simple twig becomes a meditative roadmap. A loaded bow is lying all by itself in a sea of tranquility. As if to prove than words can hurt, yet it’s the silence that kills.
In all these works, Jean doesn’t strive to make objective depictions. These days, that role is reserved for photography. Instead, the vivid brushstrokes, the dramatic shadows and the plastic application of paint instantly signal ‘this is painting’ - a medium now sentenced to make the invisible visible. In this impossible quest, the artist categorically rejects prettiness. He doesn’t want you to like it. He wants you to get it.
If Inuit have 50 words for snow, then Jean must have 1000 for white. In some works, white defines a space, in others it creates a void. White can be matter absorbed by a black hole. Or mark the borders of the Styx. Mixed with black, white is infinite. More colours? Be careful what you wish for. The master likes to strike back with toxic shades of cardinal red, Naples yellow and cobalt blue.
One of his finest creations is a bend nail hanging from a rusty wire painted on a giant white canvas. For Jean it’s another attempt to express the inexpressible. For me, it’s the ultimate altarpiece. The Passion reduced to its absolute essence. After all, even the strongest suffer …
… in silence.
— Rik Corijn
While blue chip artists constantly seek the limelight, Jean De Groote prefers to lock himself up in his very own Eleusis: his studio. In this holies of holy, he tries to capture the essence of things. With his painting brush acting as a philosopher’s stone, he distills what is considered golden: silence.
With every trace of visual noise eliminated, Jean’s paintings leave a serene, zen-like impression. Freed of cheap sentiment, “a rose is a rose is a rose.” Even the most banal objects are transformed into sacred artefacts. A miserable lamp is worshipped as a relic. A simple twig becomes a meditative roadmap. A loaded bow is lying all by itself in a sea of tranquility. As if to prove than words can hurt, yet it’s the silence that kills.
In all these works, Jean doesn’t strive to make objective depictions. These days, that role is reserved for photography. Instead, the vivid brushstrokes, the dramatic shadows and the plastic application of paint instantly signal ‘this is painting’ - a medium now sentenced to make the invisible visible. In this impossible quest, the artist categorically rejects prettiness. He doesn’t want you to like it. He wants you to get it.
If Inuit have 50 words for snow, then Jean must have 1000 for white. In some works, white defines a space, in others it creates a void. White can be matter absorbed by a black hole. Or mark the borders of the Styx. Mixed with black, white is infinite. More colours? Be careful what you wish for. The master likes to strike back with toxic shades of cardinal red, Naples yellow and cobalt blue.
One of his finest creations is a bend nail hanging from a rusty wire painted on a giant white canvas. For Jean it’s another attempt to express the inexpressible. For me, it’s the ultimate altarpiece. The Passion reduced to its absolute essence. After all, even the strongest suffer …
… in silence.
— Rik Corijn
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Jean De Groote °1955
Werkt en leeft in Nazareth
Opleiding: Hoger Kunst Onderwijs ( vrije grafiek) - Bachelor orthopedagogie - Kunstwetenschappen RUGent
Recente Tentoonstellingen:
De Zelfzoheid van de dingen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2021
Carmelitana
met Kathleen Ramboer, Karmelietenklooster, Gent - 2020
Une histoire de solitude
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2019
Art COnnects (?)
De Kantfabriek, Ninove - 2018
Les Fleurs de Rue du Temple
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2017
SENTIMOS: Portretten en landschappen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2017
Buiten de Context
Kunstenhuis Harelbeke - 2017
Kasteel Cortewalle, Beveren - 2016
Jean De Groote: Fremdkörper
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2015
De Mythe in mij
Durmetuin Tielrode, Temse - 2015
De dweil als Alibi
CC De Spil, Roeselare - 2014
Jean De Groote: stop motion
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2013
Het Paradijs - deel 1 & 2
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2012
Waarnemingen intimes
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2011
La part des anges
Villa de Olmen, ruimte voor actuele kunst, Wieze - 2011
Gras dat verder groeit: Miniaturen
Stedelijk Musea Kortrijk - 2010
Geert De Smet & Jean De Groote: And how do you stay silent?
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2009
Miniaturen
CC De Doos / De Cirk, Hasselt - 2009
A flowery band to bind us to the earth
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2008
Merci Marie Pétronelle
Galerie S. & H. De Buck / OS Beijing - 2008
Gras dat verder groeit: Miniaturen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2007
Jean De Groote: Erscheinungen in Marienfried
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2007
Voorbij de grens
De Markten, Brussel - 2005
CC De Doos / De Cirk, Hasselt - 2004
Werkt en leeft in Nazareth
Opleiding: Hoger Kunst Onderwijs ( vrije grafiek) - Bachelor orthopedagogie - Kunstwetenschappen RUGent
Recente Tentoonstellingen:
De Zelfzoheid van de dingen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2021
Carmelitana
met Kathleen Ramboer, Karmelietenklooster, Gent - 2020
Une histoire de solitude
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2019
Art COnnects (?)
De Kantfabriek, Ninove - 2018
Les Fleurs de Rue du Temple
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2017
SENTIMOS: Portretten en landschappen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2017
Buiten de Context
Kunstenhuis Harelbeke - 2017
Kasteel Cortewalle, Beveren - 2016
Jean De Groote: Fremdkörper
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2015
De Mythe in mij
Durmetuin Tielrode, Temse - 2015
De dweil als Alibi
CC De Spil, Roeselare - 2014
Jean De Groote: stop motion
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2013
Het Paradijs - deel 1 & 2
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2012
Waarnemingen intimes
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2011
La part des anges
Villa de Olmen, ruimte voor actuele kunst, Wieze - 2011
Gras dat verder groeit: Miniaturen
Stedelijk Musea Kortrijk - 2010
Geert De Smet & Jean De Groote: And how do you stay silent?
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2009
Miniaturen
CC De Doos / De Cirk, Hasselt - 2009
A flowery band to bind us to the earth
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2008
Merci Marie Pétronelle
Galerie S. & H. De Buck / OS Beijing - 2008
Gras dat verder groeit: Miniaturen
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2007
Jean De Groote: Erscheinungen in Marienfried
Galerie S. & H. De Buck, Gent - 2007
Voorbij de grens
De Markten, Brussel - 2005
CC De Doos / De Cirk, Hasselt - 2004
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