Three pioneers of figurative painting, three solo exhibitions, one raw, colourful and magical dialogue.
They refuse to be boxed in and have been innovators in figurative painting for years: Keetje Mans, Tanja Ritterbex and Aline Thomassen. From February onwards, their worlds come together in the project Bitches Brew.
Each artist presents her own solo exhibition, but their works also enter into dialogue with one another. On the one hand through their styles and themes, on the other through the conversations they have had during the course of the project.
Floating between emotion and reality
The styles of Mans, Ritterbex and Thomassen differ, but the form they choose is the same: figurative painting. Their works show recognisable themes without being realistic.
Keetje Mans creates outdoor scenes and domestic settings in which strange things occur; Aline Thomassen paints female bodies that merge with organs and forms from nature; and in the work of Tanja Ritterbex, everyday chaos and humour collide.
Each artist transforms reality in her own way to show what she feels. In doing so, the work becomes an extension of who she is.
Being fully yourself in your work
In the large body of work the artists have created, they explore a wide range of subjects. Much of their work starts from their emotions, lives and personalities. Even before they can explain what they are painting, what they feel is already on the canvas. This makes their works raw, honest and deeply personal.
What do they dream or worry about? Who do they encounter, and what impressions do people leave behind? How do they deal with expectations? Drawing on personal experience or that of someone close to them, they explore answers to these and many other questions about life.
Read more on the website of the Bonnefantenmuseum.
