Watercolors

Have you ever discovered an artist?

Someone nobody knew but you had a feeling that this person will be or should be the new star of the art scene?

Does it still happen in the XXIst century? I hope so.

It did happen to me, and I can tell you that discovering an artist is something special.

But what is art? According to Wikipedia, “Art is a highly diverse range of human activities engaged in creating visual, auditory, or performed artifacts — artworks — that express the author’s imaginative or technical skill, and are intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.”

I am a scientist, and for me, some of my peers have brought science into an art. Political sciences is today consider as an art…

But here I am going to talk about visual art, the one you think about straight away, when you talk about art, the one depicted in so prestigious museums all around the world…Paintings.

Last January I have seen an exposition called “Watercolours”, and I have discovered an artist.

40 watercolour paintings presenting an urban view of several cities.

Half of them were depicting Brussels, places that I know, places where I have been…A unique perspective on everyday things.

A roof, a window, a view from a window, car bumpers, a metro door…

Very common objects that we do not even look at anymore, objects that we do not notice.

And yet, in this exposition, the painter made us stop. He made us see these objects for what they are. Necessary, powerful, beautiful.

The watercolours are addictive to watch. You are dragged into them. You want to see the details, the tiny details till you do not recognise what it represents anymore.

And then you realise that you will appreciate the paintings better from far away.

But for each painting you repeat the same scene… you go closer and closer, till you do not recognise what it represents and then suddenly you remember that you should step away from it.

What we got here is a snapshot of the painter’s mind.

At the time where selfies and staged pictures are everywhere…

At the time where hundred of millions of pictures are shared on social network, having someone who stops to watch what nobody watches anymore and make us see it in a different way.

Having someone to take the time to appreciate what is around us…

Having someone whose pictures will defy time is refreshing.

Discovering an artist is something special.

If you like his art, you will share it.

If you don’t like his art, you will still talk about it.

But if it does not provoke anything in you, you won’t consider him/her as an artist at all; and you will forget it.

So, I have discovered an artist. His name is Jord de Rengervé.

Do you know him? Probably not. I didn’t know him either.

Jord de Rengervé is an artist; an artist who deserves to be known.

For me, his paintings are the kind that you won’t forget, you will think about them a long time after you have seen them.

Jord de Rengervé is an artist. He does not see things as they really are, he sees things as we should see them.

Go and see “Watercolors” you might want to buy a painting or two, and like me, discover an artist.

The exposition is open till March 31st at Alliance Mérode, Rue de la gare 44, 1040 Etterbeek , Brussels. This unusual location is also a reason to see the exposition.