a b o u t m e
Bio
An Selen (1975) is a Belgian artist based in Schilde.
An studied interior architecture (Henri van de Velde) in Antwerp. This direction taught her to understand architecture. It teaches you a way of thinking and creates a strong vision.
What does ‘less is more’ mean? Who is Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Luis Barragán, Tadao Ando etc....
‘This minimalist thinking became part of my creations. I started out creating my first painting in 1999. For 12 years I worked together with international project developers worldwide. f.i.. Ehrmanns’ Partners, exceptional high real estate projects in Courchevel1850 and Mougins.
Paris, the Seyshells, Barbados, Marbella, Milan, the Hamptons (NY), China, Dubai etc.’
I get inspired by old things and nature because there's a sincere beauty in the character of it, the scrapes, the dents, that's been built up over time. Rust, a chipped wall, cracks, the beauty of the days gone by, when life was simple. Finding beauty in the aesthetic of imperfect things in existence.
A needed antidote to our consumption-driven world.
Creating is a never ending process of growth and exploration.
Does a creative thought process really start with a white canvas which is basically a standard form?
Or doesn't a thought process already start from scratch? Creating an object that is still searching for its form of existence.
My ever-unquenched hunger for experimentation and searching brought me to light-weight concrete panels, which allow me to work more organically and authentically. It gives me so much more freedom to express depth without limitation.
To me, art is not a work of art but a piece of work in which the form is built up only to have pieces or holes drilled out or cut. Its imperfection completes it for me. I love the artistic reinvention of concrete because it ‘s a rewarding natural product which I eventually finish with natural pigments. (it adds value to know where the pigments come from. Umbria, Siena, Bohemia, the pigment Afghan lapis lazuli, chalk from sarti etc)
I also like making the rusting process where iron particles are processed with acid, so that the oxidation process starts very slowly. It's so fascinating to see a work creating itself. I love the surprise of the outcome. Just like the crackle process, in which a homemade paste turns out to be a natural crackled work. Feeling the paste, disconnected from the thoughts about the final result. The cracks symbolize the vulnerability of life.
On the other side, I also love to work with mixed media and vibrant colors, glitter which reflect the vivacity and exuberance of life. To finish, I often use epoxy to protect the work, but also because it makes the colours so much more vivid!
“I don’t want to be defined in just one specific art style. I want more differentiation in my art work to keep myself excited. I often like to work in phases.
There ‘s no challenge for me, making the same art again and again, knowing in the morning how it will look like in the evening.”
