Janine Seelen
22765, Hamburg
Janine Seelen transforms everyday scenes in complex works with oil pastels on paper
Message
Janine Seelen spent the most important life of her career in New York City and San Francisco as a graphic artist. Her commissions had a focus on interdisciplinary projects which she later continued back in her hometown in Hamburg. Since 2018 Seelen focuses solely on her paintings. Her subjects are scenes and momentums in the twilight with a focus on seemingly abandoned places not to forget the energy every space is filled with. The multi-layered work is a network of structures between dissolution and demarcation in which she creates a communication and perception between space and time.
Statement
A triangle forms the basis of my works, consisting of a specific time, place I know and a personal emotion.
To me, life is a series of encounters. Each place, each decision, each person becomes exactly what they are because of a unique chain of events. But the most fascinating moments are when you encounter yourself. You stumble upon a question you’ve once asked, a memory, a feeling, or an unexpected impulse.
It’s in those moments that I pause, being alert of how the setting will develop. I take notes and photographs which later will lead me into transferring my thoughts in writing and painting onto paper or canvas. Over the years, I’ve developed my own technique for bringing oil pastel to life. With a delicate balance of minimalism, contrast, and colour, I abstract the world to reflect that precise, intimate moment of connection.
In life, too, we need to ask different questions to different people, explore diverse sources, and seek out varied experiences in order to shape who we are and uncover our own truths. That’s why I paint in series—to tell a story, ask a question, and raise awareness from different points of view. I create these different encounters so that the audience can step into my moments and thoughts so that together, we can pause, hold the moment, and reflect.