Jan De Vliegher’s (°1964, BE) paintings are a meeting of Abstract Expressionism and Impressionistic joie de vivre, joie de peindre pur sang. Since his debut in 1998 De Vliegher has been creating large-scale paintings based on his impressions of daily life. He finds beauty in the small such as paddling beachgoers and porcelain show-off crockery, but also in the large and luxurious such as the halls of Versailles and Venetian terraces. De Vliegher paints in series that have a fast, almost obsessive feel to them. For his subject matter he keeps a digital database of over 40.000 images. But his paintings transcend what you see. His art is about painting itself. In his work he combines strong expressionist brushstrokes with a caring observation of the world reminiscent of French pleinairism. He uses a technique called alla prima. So the painting has to be completed in one sitting or while the paint is still wet. This way of working gives the paintings a liberating and direct appearance. Art critic Willem Elias describes it as follows: ‘Figurative Action Painting within an abstract framework of single subject or all-over compositions.’ This lavishly illustrated publication will give a complete collection of De Vliegher’s oeuvre.
