° 1978

Born in Hasselt (BE).

Jan De Lauré (°1978, Hasselt, BE) bases his paintings on images sourced from the media; in his own words: they are images that are impossible to forget. He has no interest in looking for predefined themes, but rather opts to work with images that pique his interest. In an effort to create a painting that is almost photographic in its quality, he works with thin layers of oil paint; this process, however impressive it may be in terms of sheer technique, takes a back seat when juxtaposed with the sheer representational power and impact of the image itself.
The artist often emphasises images that at first glance appear almost banal, but which still leave a lasting impression. He uses shifts of emphasis and purposeful disfigurement to occasionally evoke a sense of cynicism in his images, sometimes with bizarre, alienating undertones. It is precisely in focussing on what is baffling about the image, a characteristic that he always works out in the minutest details, that he conjures feelings of loss in the viewer, as though its essence has taken leave or has somehow gone missing. © M HKA Ensembles

Photo: © Antwerp Based Artists