In the spiritual heat of Varanasi (Kashi), a city that breathes at the intersection of life and death, Nicolas Van Parys found the seed for his latest work. On the banks of the Ganges, where tradition and transformation (Rupé) constantly touch each other, his artistic practice underwent a fundamental shift.
Varanasi is a place of continuous transmutation. It is a location where matter decays and meaning is constantly reshaped in the ashes and the flow of the river. This layered, transcendent atmosphere forms the heartbeat of the works in this exhibition.
Unfold
The oeuvre of Van Parys is never static; it is a continuous process of unfolding. Although collage still forms the foundation — as a technique to deconstruct and rearrange reality — these new images go beyond mere reconstruction. Fragments of familiarity flow into lyrical, painted forms, creating a magical, almost dreamlike world.
"The canvas acts as a threshold, a gateway to a world that feels both completely strange and yet recognizable."
Between Worlds
In the 'in-between world' of Van Parys, solid forms dissolve. The layering here is both visual and mental: beneath the surface of the painting lies a yearning for essence and reconciliation. He brings together fragments from our collective image culture to then transform them with paint and daring.
The result is a fluid universe in which color and structure point the way to a deeply personal perception of reality. What remains hidden behind the façade of daily perception finds a voice here.
Kashi Rupé - Unfolded nodigt u uit om stil te staan bij de vluchtige momenten van transformatie. Het is een plek waar het verleden het heden ontmoet en waar het beeld zichzelf, laag per laag, aan de toeschouwer openbaart.Start writing here...
Kristof Vander Cruyssen