My name is Knaepkens Ludo, born 17/05/1962, a painter living and working in Hoogstraten, Belgium.
I have been drawing and painting all my life. My mother painted and my father was in the transportation business. The genes I inherited clearly influenced my life and work and are irrevocably linked to it. As the eldest in the family, I rolled automatically into my father’s business, but the advice to postpone painting until later, I ignored that one. But, due to the busy job with a lot of foreign travel, I only graduated from IKO Art Academy at the end of my professional career. In addition, I also completed the training of art gallery owner:operator.
In my studio I paint with acrylic and oil paint, but I also like to experiment with mixed techniques. Over the years my style has evolved from romantic Impressionism to graphic, colourful pop art. The freedom to use colours, to mix images, implementing humour and texts in the work is something that has attracted me since my childhood. Despite the fact that I enjoy exhibiting, I experience the greatest passion through painting and seeing the growth process of the work.
My favourite examples are Norman Rockwell, E. Hopper, Gil Elvgren and comics from Spirou Publishers, Tintin, … Not only my passion for oldtimers, classic racers, trucks, vintage motorcycles and pinups is an important source of inspiration, but also contemporary images or events, old photos, memories, music and lyrics can inspire me. Often I make compositions of images or I mix my models with a strange, unexpected background. The own use of colour combined with working with pixels makes my work graphic, sometimes even photographic from a distance. The entire image feels very lively and almost three-dimensional due to the appropriate use of colour. But besides the canvas I also experimented with other materials, such as vinyl records as canvas or creating work in mixed media.
I also like a challenge, so I love to participate in painting competitions, open calls or an exhibition. Sometimes you can see me live at work during my exhibition. Creativity has no limits. Unleash your creativity and the joy you experience is the greatest gift of all.
Brief overview of recent years:
Stadsgalerij Breda (2017), Kunsthuis Artine Oostende (2019,2020,2022,2023), Galerie Recup Art Oostende (2018), Pop-up Expo Antwerpen Zuid (2019), Classic Car Salon Antwerpen Expo ( 2019, 2020), Interclassics Brussel (2020, 2021, 2023), Galerie Artisjok Lier (2021), Galerie Expo 38 Hoogstraten ( 2021, 2022), Galerie 22, Damme (2022), galerie Kun-st-art Terneuzen NL (2022), Classic Event Waregem (2022, 2023), Nationale Kunstdagen Gorinchem NL (2022), Artbox.projects Miami 3.0 (2022), Art Lab Los Angeles (2023), Bubble Art Projects Paris, Bordeaux, Dresden, Düsseldorf (2023), Art EindhovenNL (2023), Flanders Collection Car Ghent (2023), Artist-Meeting Knokke Casino (2023), Artpoint Borluut (2023), Galerie Anmigo Oostende (2023), Art3F (2024)
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Ik heb iets met beelden die refereren naar een herinnering … zoals beelden die vervagen of verkleuren. De beelden zijn figuratief en herkenbaar, maar niet meer volgens de werkelijkheid.
Composities worden samengesteld of details uitvergroot… de suggestie werkt sterker dan het totaalbeeld. De toeschouwer wordt betrokken bij het verhaal…
Een nostalgisch beeld gecombineerd met een hedendaagse kritische blik…
Bij vragen of feedback… aarzel niet om mij te contacteren.
ludoknaepkens2@gmail.com of 0032(0)483188053