Walter Swennen
(Brussels,
1946 )
Walter Swennen’s artistic practice starts with his critical attitude towards the status of art. The young Swennen, creating absurdist dada objects in the 1960s, was also a poet but since the 1980s he has exclusively explored the possibilities of painting. He has developed a heterogeneous oeuvre with diverse mediums, styles and motifs. His associative approach avoids conventional interpretations. For Swennen, a painting should not ‘affect’ or ‘be understood’. The first goal of painting is ... painting. He thematises the search for an interesting subject, the right medium and an appropriate technique. He incorporates everyday objects into his work and eagerly borrows motifs from popular culture. In doing so he creates a visual poetry that, based on humour and associations, recalls his early years as a writer. In 1994 the Antwerp M HKA organised Swennen’s first solo exhibition and in February 2020 he received an Ultima for his multifaceted career in the visual arts
