Geert Koekoeckx Belgian, b. 1983

The work of Geert Koekoeckx can be described as overwhelming; bizarre scenes carry the viewer along into the story and cause surprising reactions. Koekoeckx believes there is no point in painting a perfect world. Bones, images from old magazines and books, odd objects, skeletons and distorted animals do not only intrigue the artist, they also fuel his work. Some consider it rather morbid or sinister, for this Belgian artist it means pure fascination. His absurd-psychedelic visual language is enforced by the strong and bold colour palette that he incorporates, where he emphasizes on the colour pink. The controversial character provokes people to express their reactions.

The common factor throughout the work of this up-and-coming artist is chaos. Alienating scenes are lurking in the narratives of his paintings, in which his imagination is fed by the atmosphere of his studio. Mounted animals with razor-sharp teeth and black eyes find their place among his canvases and materials. Koekoeckx creates a smooth interaction between drawings from his imagination and images from old magazines and books. His works gradually take shape: one drawing is the - often very intuitive - cause for another addition.

Text based on an article by Jolien Vanhoof