Lien Buysens Can Can
The world of Ghent-based artist Lien Buysens (b. 1988) is one of endless possibilities, constantly observed and explored. Her first solo exhibition at Schönfeld Gallery, Can Can, is the result of this ongoing exploration that defines her work, where rhythm, structure, and playfulness go hand in hand. For the first time, the objects in Buysens’ drawings and paintings are no longer solo players but instead share the dance together on the canvas. The pitchers she depicts form a kind of family portrait: a dynamic gathering of shape and color, not a static depiction of family, but a lively celebration on canvas that you won’t want to miss.
This playfulness is woven into Buysens’ creative process: "I find pleasure in my creative process. It’s something that’s constantly evolving and in motion, while also bringing me peace. It’s about observing, searching for the right shapes and colors, and framing. Through looking, pausing, and focusing, a ritual of attention and discovery emerges." The strength of her compositions lies largely in what precedes them. Her work often consists of overlapping drawings, shapes, lines, and colors. When a shape isn’t quite right, it’s re-examined and adjusted: "Through the surface of my work, traces of previous works are still visible." Yet, the final composition that captures the viewer’s gaze is also a suggestion of where it might go. Buysens keeps the register open, sparking the imagination: "Everything is changeable and can, therefore, always remain in transformation."
Buysens’ sketchbooks are loyal companions that help her capture what draws her attention. Both inside and outside the walls of her studio, the artist captures and collects intriguing shapes, which she then gradually internalizes according to her personal rules and codes. Three dimensions are transformed into two, and context often takes the lead—or, at times, the opposite. Everyday objects from daily life are stripped down, reformed, disconnected, connected, and reduced to shape and color, to the point where they flirt with the boundaries of recognizability. After this intimate sculpting process, she places the figures in their new form back into the world. All that remains for us is to observe and interpret: the image is fixed, but the imagination remains free. The process of observation, just like the creative process, is one of infinite possibilities: Can Can.
With her work, where cadence, rythm and playfulness come together like in a French can-can, Lien Buysens invites the viewer to pause and look attentively. In doing so, she captures the societal desire—and perhaps even the necessity—to step out of the hustle and bustle of daily life and recognize the simplicity and value of the seemingly mundane: "The simplest form can surprise us. A scent that evokes a memory, a sound that unexpectedly stirs emotion, a recognition, a laugh." Buysens creates space for new perspectives and the infinity of our imagination, particularly through the removal of a dimension. All is allowed, all can be.
Astrid Pepermans
- Location
- Brussels
- Date
- Now open: —
Selected Images
Selected Images
“The process of observation, just like the creative process, is one of infinite possibilities: Can Can”
