S V E N   S M E T S

Sven Smets, born in Vilvoorde in 1968, lives and works in Leuven.

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He has spent a large part of his career in the graphics sector, designing various national magazines and cultural centres. Afterwards, he trained as a photographer, which resulted in a rich archive of pictures that he now reworks and uses in a different context.

Starting from own photographs and found material, as well as from stills from films, different images are combined into new compositions.

The images are stripped down to their essence. He deliberately chooses not to work serially and not to pin himself down to a particular technique or style. The images dictate the working methods and a mixture of techniques is used. 
The paintings evoke impressions of intimacy and alienation, but at the same time feel familiar and soothing.