Louis Thévenet

The selection in this exhibition is a very limited selection from Thévenet’s body of work and fits within the framework of the modest exhibitions series around artists present in the collection, but who generally enjoy less recognition in Flanders. MDD aims to explore certain intrinsic qualities of these artists. The choice for this selection is highly subjective and completely independent from the classical modernist-inspired art historical choices based on ‘innovation’ or ‘originality’.

Also, the classical appreciation of Thévenet as a ‘beautiful and seductive’ interior painter is not relevant here. Thévenet captivates us rather through the very strong underlying tension in his interiors. The representation of this tension is encapsulated in the psychological state of the artist. He doesn’t hurl his feelings out into the world. He doesn’t scream them out but rather controls them and translates this painterly with the remarkable objectivity of an observer. Even in his daily life, Thévenet probably struggled to find peace with himself, others, and with life itself. However, he doesn’t resist but withdraws into thoughtful and silent solitude. It is this fragile tension that makes him an exceptional artist who still deserves all the attention today.