Co-director of a family-owned art gallery, Edouard Mazel has united two young Belgian photographic artists in the exhibition Made In Belgium
The work of artists Jimmy de Bock and Bruno Timmermans is both original and innovative, fitting in with a long Belgian tradition of surrealism and self-deprecation. De Bock’s reflections on society are channelled through photographic images of famous cultural buildings, while Timmermans works with photographs of modern celebrities. The cult of surrealism, which continues to influence Belgian creativity, is the key to understanding de Bock’s work. His buildings move, but people remain static. His pictures are the result of hundreds of static and dynamic shots that have been digitally recombined. He also reveals ‘infra colours’ – present in buildings, but invisible to the naked eye. His Tate Modern Inside reveals emerald green light; the ceiling in Centre Pompidou is azure.
Bruno Timmermans’ portraits from his New Icons series have also been through the filter of Belgian wit and traditions, and are equally loaded with bold elements and slightly black humour.
His Warhol-inspired gallery of portraits unite leading personalities of the 21st century. Each face has been tattooed with the elements that Timmermans feels have inspired their lives. In the case of Amy Winehouse, the late singer, sadly, sports a headband bearing the legend Jack Daniels. On Lady Gaga’s forehead, Timmermans has stamped the word ‘Queen’.
