Patrick Vanden Eynde

Although Patrick Vanden Eynde is primarily known as a painter, an exhibition of his work is more than just showing a selection of paintings. The installation in the space also plays an important role for him. Therefore, he often chooses to place (utilitarian) objects in the space that have a connection to the paintings. These objects (in this case the support pillars) function as readymades. The support pillars he now uses to support the exhibition space at the MDD give a more spatial feeling to the exhibition and strengthen the idea of decay.

The ambiguous use of objects and space is also found in his collages. The elements of the collages are found while browsing through various magazines. They are images of objects or pieces of interiors chosen for their color or shape.

In his paintings, Patrick Vanden Eynde fills the pictorial plane in a similar manner. Objects that seem unrelated to each other are painted and repainted. The setting often seems inspired by beautifully designed interiors from lifestyle magazines, but there is always an element to disturb that peace or to indicate decay. Vanden Eynde’s works tell a story whose continuation is to be found beyond the canvas. It could be the setting (an undefined space) of a place where something is about to happen. Behind the simple objects lies a complex world where tension and fear reign.

Patrick Vanden Eynde is mainly interested in the functioning of visual memory. He analyzes the tension between reality, the representation of reality, and what imagination or memory does with that representation. He sees his work as a critical look at Western culture by questioning lifestyle and fashion.

Tormented by the question of how an artist should position himself, he approaches painting in different ways each time. This makes his oeuvre multi-dimensional and multi-interpretable.