Walter Swennen: Das Phantom der Malerei / The Phantom of Painting

Walter Swennen is a Brussels-born painter who approaches and explores the medium in new ways by applying principles from other disciplines. His work challenges the viewer to inspect it slowly and carefully, and the layers of paint often hide a battlefield of attempts, corrections, words, and messages. Swennen paints on anything, from canvas to wood to discarded camping tables, stoves, and even washing machines. His long and varied career deserves to be recognized by a wide public for its radical nonconformism and the influence he exerts on young artists today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 152 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2021
Publisher: Meta4Books vzw

Walter Swennen, a painter born in Brussels in 1946, stands as a notable figure among his generation, who approaches and explores the medium in innovative ways by drawing principles from diverse disciplines. Swennen's artistic journey is marked by a constant challenge to the viewer, urging them to engage in a slow and meticulous examination of his paintings. The intricate layers of paint conceal a rich tapestry of artistic attempts, revisions, words, and messages, inviting the viewer to unravel the artist's creative process.

Swennen's artistic odyssey began at a young age when his Dutch-speaking family suddenly shifted to speaking French. Language games, which played a significant role in his upbringing, seamlessly integrate into his artistic practice. His paintings are not merely the final outcome but also a testament to the artist's journey, tracing the path he took to arrive at the ultimate visible image. A constant theme in Swennen's work is the sheer pleasure he derives from engaging in a battle with the paint. Unafraid to break conventions, he embraces a wide range of materials as his canvas, including discarded camping tables, stoves, and even washing machines.

Walter Swennen's remarkable career, spanning several decades, deserves widespread recognition for its radical nonconformism and the enduring influence it continues to exert on emerging artists. His works are showcased in prestigious galleries such as the Brussels Xavier Hufkens Gallery and the Gladstone Gallery in New York. In 2019, he was honored with the prestigious Ultima award for his lifetime contributions to the visual arts. Swennen's art can be found in numerous museum and gallery collections worldwide.

This captivating book serves as a comprehensive exploration of Walter Swennen's extensive oeuvre, serving as the catalogue for an international solo exhibition that will launch in Kunstmuseum Bonn (June-August 2021) before embarking on a tour to Kunstmuseum Den Haag (autumn 2021) and Kunstmuseum Winterthur (spring 2022). Thought-provoking text contributions by Stephan Berg, Konrad Bitterli, and Daniel Koep enrich the narrative, providing insights into the artist's creative process and artistic vision. The text is presented in both English and German, ensuring accessibility to a broad audience.

Weight: 1356g
Dimension: 249 x 319 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789463887649