The essence of Kristel Van Ballaer's (°1972, Belgium) artistic work consists of transforming forms from nature and architecture. The basis of her working process is an intense and tactile perception. She is struck by the beauty of nature, but also by the geometry, abstraction and formal force in architecture. In a slow meditative process, she explores shapes that inspire her. She strips them of the superfluous, until a perfection of form reveals itself.
Van Ballaer's work balances at the intersection of 2D and 3D. The art of painting becomes spatial or vice versa. In her research, shadow and light play an essential role, as well as the space in which the work will be presented. In the architectural version, the work can be entered and the artist's physical experience is the reference. The smaller work is also in relation to the (own) body: from hand size to body height. Contrasts such as open-closed, floating versus supporting are guiding in her handling of form and volumes.
At first sight, her work is minimalist and pared-down, but that impression is deceiving. Her work is layered. The sensuality and tactility of the finish is striking: layers of paint in different textures create perceptible tension - the visibility of the painter's hand. They are operations that take time and are far removed from industrial manufacture.
At its core, she works towards restraint, showing the fragility that characterizes the human hand. Stillness is an essential concept. The artist offers the viewer calm, a salutary counterpoint to the iconoclasm raging in everyday life. She makes time stand still.
