Véronique
Jansseune

Is geometry a constraint or a freedom for you — and has that answer ever changed?

For me, geometry is certainly not a limitation. Quite the contrary. The geometry in my work repeats itself over and over again. This repetitive pattern has a rhythmic and calming effect on me and gives me a sense of freedom. In a life overwhelmed by stimuli, I try to turn restlessness into inner peace through colours, shapes and patterns. The movement on my canvases does not end with the physical boundaries of the canvas — it continues along the edges and into the space, entering into a relationship with the context. This, in turn, emphasizes my fascination with the cyclical nature of our existence and of everything around us. It visualizes infinity.

Walk us through your process — where does a piece begin, and how do you know it's finished?

Feelings, impressions and my fascination with the cyclical nature of everything that surrounds us in the cosmos form the basis of my work. First, I visualize my feelings in a sketch, leaving out everything that is unnecessary and keeping only the essentials. In it, I look for proportions and shapes that feel right to me. Then I draw everything out in pencil on graph paper. Next, I look for the right colour combination to enhance the depth and movement in my work. Only then do I lay everything out on my canvas, and can I begin painting. So in fact, I distill my feelings and impressions down to the essence, in which forms take colour. The colours in turn create patterns that repeat themselves over and over again. The result on canvas are geometric and abstract works in which a fine dynamic plays between the static and a slow movement.

Is there something outside of art — a system, structure, or phenomenon — that quietly shapes how you think about form?

Underlying almost all of my work is my fascination with the cyclical nature of everything around us. In these endless cycles, we, as mortal beings, are a link in an infinite movement. The loss of several loved ones has only reinforced that feeling.

What does a viewer miss when they see your work as 'just geometry'?

For me, painting is my way of letting go of the chaos and busyness of everyday life, and thus finding much-needed peace. If the viewer looks at my work as “merely a geometric piece,” then they fail to appreciate its depth, the story and the movement. But my work is an invitation to the viewer to consciously pause and experience the same sense of calm that I feel when creating it. If the viewer were to take even a little more time and create their own imagination or story around that abstract, geometric work, I would be very satisfied.