"I feel now and more than ever that the work of Matisse brings a certain peace and serenity to what is going on around us and that is why I choose to paint in this direction today."
JonOne presents a portofolio of ten different serigraphs on paper inspired by the cut out works on paper by Henri Matisse.
"When Willem Speerstra asked me two years ago to work on a portfolio of seriegraphed drawings I saw it as an opportunity to challenge my work. I have already made one silkscreen for my "Talking to walls" show in 2003, but working on a complete portfolio of ten drawings really motivated me to produce symbols, shapes and objects that can mean something in one line of work. I also had allot of things to say from my numerous trips to Asia inspiration or the influence of Matisse cut out works on paper. With the precious help from Alexandre d’Huy from the Beaux-Arts school in Paris, this body of work has been made possible. For the past ten months, I have made drawings, sketches and cut out works on paper to sharpen my ideas for the series. My art had evolved. The influence of works by Modern Masters such as Kadinsky or Jackson Pollock have inspired me since long and separated my artwork from graffiti. I feel now and more than ever that the work of Matisse brings a certain peace and serenity to what is going on around us and that is why I choose to paint in this direction today. I would like this to be interpreted as my way of trying to bridge the gap between modern painters and myself, a contemporary artist. These serigraphs, can be interpreted as erotic by looking at them, but just the same way as an artist paints nudes, I just interpret them as being what I am: an abstract artist."
© JonOne / © Speerstra Gallery
