John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
June 22, 2014
Magic and Mystery in the Art of Katrien De Blauwer
Katrien De Blauwer is an artist from Belgium who works by collaging elements from old magazines, found photographs, objects, dried flowers, cloth and vintage paper into compelling visual metaphors. De Blauwer’s work is infused with psychological overtones — like viewing two or three frames from a film noir movie, only reassembled into something even more mysterious. This sense of mystery and voyeuristic approach rarely allow the viewer to see full faces. We see the backs of people, parts of stories, shards of images that build a poetic whole. Her work is masterful and beautifully composed.
What I find in her work are abstract desires, a foreboding sense of loneliness, and cryptic messages being the only solid element to hold on to. De Blauwer intentionally shares only parts of stories and like most good art, it’s up to us find our own answers.
Intirgued? Check out Rick Poynor’s “Collage Culture: Nostalgia and Critique“, which includes the art of Katrien De Blauwer.
Conflict Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Conflict Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Conflict Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Couleur Pâle Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Couleur Pâle Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Couleur Pâle Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Couleur Pâle Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Couleur Pâle Seriess
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Fémin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Fémin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Fémin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Fémin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Loin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Loin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Loin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Loin Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Odeur Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Odeur Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Odeur Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Odeur Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Petites Gens Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Petites Gens Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Poetic Noise Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Poetic Noise Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Poetic Noise Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Rien Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Rien Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
Rien Series
Collage on paper
Katrien De Blauwer
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By John Foster
John Foster and his wife, Teenuh, have been longtime collectors of self-taught art and vernacular photography. Their collection of anonymous, found snapshots has toured the country for five years and has been featured in Harper’s, Newsweek Online and others.
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