About the work of Jonas Vansteenkiste
The works of the artist Jonas Vansteenkiste are defined by spaces.
He uses several media, i.e. installations, video, sculpture, photos and drawings.
He refers and uses – both in a physical and psychological way – architectural elements.
He builds up spaces, or creates situations which can best be defined as "mental spaces".
Mental spaces have a resemblance with "Denkraum", a notion mostly found in philosophy and architecture. "Denkraum" can be seen as building walls,
not only in but also from the chaos of one's own perception,
emotions and thoughts to express in a clear way these experiences and feelings.
Keeping this in mind, Jonas defines and creates his works.
These works depart from a personal experience where the anecdotal is moved
to the background where it is further purified into a "basso continuo" used to build upon. He approaches the medium "installation" as one of reference and experience. He thus places the spectator in an active role: he invites him to step into the work and situate himself – both mentally and physically – in it.
The artist also leaves room for the spectator to add his own personal experiences in these installations, which are not only the "relevant" place for the artist, but also for the spectator.
The same exercise is repeated in his drawings: these spaces are more personal so a spectator is only invited by a gaze…
portrait by Richard Duyck
click for more
Biography & CV
1984 born in Kortrijk, Belgium
1996-2002 DAS art high school, Kortrijk
2001-2003 sculpture classes
2003-2004 KASK Gent 3D
2004-2006 KASK Gent Combined Media
2006-2007 KASK Gent New Media (Bachelor)
2008-2009 KASK Gent Media Art (Master)
2015-2016 research in arts & design, St-Lucas Antwerpen
(Master After Master)
2024- Head of Ceramic department at Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam
Lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Kortrijk, Belgium
Group exhibitions (selection)
2024
"Betekendt", kunstenhuis, Harelbeke (BE)
"The city as a strategy",Spinrag festival, Kortrijk (BE)
"EXIT 50", DAS , Kortrijk (BE)
"De Kamers van Zé", Antwerpen (BE)
"The Summer Exhibition" PINSART, Brugge (BE)
2023
"Grand Prize Ernest Albert"curators: Hans Martens & Steven Op De Beeck, de garage, Mechelen (BE)
“Boeckmans,Vansteenkiste,Verheylesonne”, Kusseneers, Brussel (BE)
"ECHO OF THE DEPTH IN SPACE" curator: Anna König Vlk, Pragovka Gallery, Prague (CZ)
"Our House", maison de la culture de Tournai, Doornik (BE)
"Vedute XL", Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam (NL)
"Amor Fati", with Dodi Espinosa, Pand OOX, Kortrijk (BE)
"Horchamp", Andenne (BE)
"Draw Me a House" Spinrag festival, Kortrijk (BE)
"export Import festival", BRONKS, Brussels (BE)
"Children's Art Day", CC PERRON, Yper (BE)
‘Espace Censuré a volonté’ curator Jan Verhaeghe, Brugge(BE)
"Lijf en leden / Life and limb" Curator Daan Rau, galerie Morbee, Knokke (BE)
"Sint-Denijs City, kunstbiënnal" curator Jan Leysen, Sint-Denijs (BE)
2022
"Sans Titre" DMW Gallery, Antwerp (BE)
"AMOK", KAAP, Brugge (BE)
"Wonder", Buda Fabriek, Kortrijk (BE)
"Wonder, Memesis",4n20 , Kortrijk (BE)
"Vedute collection", Burgerweeshuis Amsterdam (NL)
"Modernism for the Future 360/365", Kaunas (LT)
a collaboration with Leiedal,Kaunas and Kaunas District –European Capital of Culture 2022
"We Are Vessels" Het nieuwe instituut, Rotterdam (NL)
"4 x 4" Warp, St-Niklaas (BE)
"New Memories" Duo show with Joke Raes, Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche, Brussels (BE)
"TEST CASE XXV" EKWC, Oisterwijk (NL)
2021
"Ulterieur 2021", curator Petrus Paklons, ntgrate, Kortrijk (BE)
"Fragile Bricks", curator Frederik Van Laere, Tielt (BE)
"HEAT/ENERGY"Curators: Martin Ålund, Torbjörn Johansson and Jonas Ellerström, Kummelholmen, Stockholm, (SWE)
"Drop in drop out" De ontsteking, Gent (BE)
"Niemand is een eiland" Stichting ijsberg, Damme (BE)
'Art@Work', Curator Benedict Vandaele, De cellen, Oostkamp(BE)
"L’Épilogue C2L3Play", Click, Mons (BE)
2020
"Isolation | Communication"Färgfabriken, Curators: Martin Ålund, Torbjörn Johansson and Jonas Ellerström, Stockholm, (SWE)
"Art in the time of Coronavirus & Social Distancing" online show
Circle Foundation for the Arts (FR)
"WONDER"Creativity Festival, Kortrijk (BE)
"Commedia dell'Arte", De mijlpaal, Heusden-Zolder (BE)
"Salon des artist", Ronse (BE)
"City trip" CC de Steiger, Menen (BE)
"Synergia" duo show with Joke Raes, CC Brugge (BE)
"PRE-TRIENNALE" Brugge plus, Brugge (BE)
"Artivirals" Maaltebruggekasteel, Ghent (BE)
"Toutes les Lignes Droites sont Courbes", De ververij, Ronse (BE)
"unravelings" PARCE ,Ghent, (BE)
‘in the absence of the artist’ @ virtual exhibition
"Behind the Glass", online project
"Open House" ZK/U, Berlin (DE)
"Kunst aanzet" De mijlpaal, Heusden-Zolder (BE)
"INSIDE/OUT, Borluut Castle, Ghent (BE)
"Borrowed spaces" WARP, St-Niklaas (BE)
"Ménage à deux"Het Stadsmus, Hasselt (BE)
2019
"Seeing the invisible", Novi Sad, (Serbia)
“Measures of poetry” curator Jan Van Woensel, Bogaerden kapel, Brugge (BE)
"Landscapes 2.0" Bubox, Kortrijk (BE)
"The wrong house" the wrong house, Kortrijk (BE)
“Genisis” curator Christa Vyvey, L.A.C. Sigean, (FR)
"hier und dort", Bad Godesberg (DE)
"Home sweet home" curator Jan Leysen, Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke (BE)
"Open House" ZK/U, Berlin (DE)
"Test case xIx"@EKWC, Oisterwijk, (NL)
"Point in Time",@EKWC, Heusden, (NL)
"Lola & Jonas" ZSenne art lab, Brussel, (BE)
2018
"Les Traversées du Marais, sur le fil, Paris (FR)
"50th Grand Prix of Actual Drawing", Ronse (BE)
"On Show", the South African Association, Cité des Arts, Paris (FR)
"Don't Mention the War", Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke, (BE)
"SHOWROOM: MIA CHAPLIN, JONAS VANSTEENKISTE, SARAH BLOOD, ELLE VAN UDEN & MARTIN ÅLUND", Cité des Arts,Paris(FR)
"Botanical stills II" de Mijlpaal, Knokke-Heist (BE)
"About desire and consolation", Kunstenfestival Watou, Watou, (BE)
"The Homecoming", curator Jan Van Woensel, 252 CC, Ekeren (BE)
"Viriditas", de mijlpaal, Heusden-Zolder (BE)
"Blind date", DAK, Amsterdam (NL)
"Le pays le plus laid du monde?", Halluin (FR)
"Dolers", Dendermonde (BE)
"Botanical stills" de Mijlpaal, Knokke-Heist (BE)
2017
"Inspiratie - Landschap", curators Kristof Reulens & Eddie Guldolf, C-Mine, Genk (BE)
"Provinciale prijs beeldende kunsten 1997-2017", Roger Raveel Museum, Machelen (BE)
"El Camino- a way between two pionts", curator Christa Vyvey, KADOC, Leuven (BE)
‘You don’t need an app to experience the real thing’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels (BE)
"Yart",Gent, (BE)
"Celibataire Divas", Hasselt, (BE)
"Southern Comfort", Fort 5, Edegem, (BE)
2016
"Coup de ville", curator Stef Van Bellingen, St Niklaas (BE)
"Périples", espace culturel de la FDE, Montpellier (FR)
"Tradition doesn't graduate", curator Nikolaas Johannes Lekkerkerk/KOMPLOT, Brussels (BE)
"Hommage", BOZAR, Brussels (BE)
"MANAMA@Hole of the Fox", Antwerpen (BE)
"Interrupting The City", Stadsfeestzaal, Antwerp (BE)
"El Camino- a way between two pionts", curator Christa Vyvey L.A.C. Sigean, (FR)
"Provencial price east-flanders", Roger Raveel Museum, Machelen (BE)
"Water WAR", curator Christophe De Jaeger, Buda Kortrijk (BE)
"El Camino- a way between two pionts", curator Christa Vyvey , Brugge (BE)
2015
"PLATFORM",Oonagh Young Gallery, Dublin (IE)
"Fabric Spaces", Curator: Sevie Tsampalla, Piano Fabriek, Brussel (BE)
"Aandacht Aandacht!", De warande Turnhout/C-mine Genk (BE)
"St-Lucas @Biënalle of Venice", Arsenale, (IT)
"Line-up", Gent (BE)
"#INOFFICE" De Mijlpaal,Heusden-Zolder (BE)
Kunstenfestival Watou, Watou (BE)
"Bunker Archeologie", Broelmuseum, Kortrijk(BE)
'Stille, stomme getuigen', A Gallery Named Sue, The Hague (NL)
'ART TRACES', Langemark-Poelkapelle (BE)
'Immersie!', De Mijlpaal, Heusden-Zolder (BE)
"De Grote verleiding" Kuurne (BE)
“So let’s retread memory lane, Villa de Olmen, Wieze (BE)
2014
'Tussentijd', Oosterzele (BE)
"Citadellarte",colaboration with M HKA, Diest (BE)
'Private Shelter', Vrijstaat O, Oostende (BE)
"Cuesta"curator Frederik Van Laere, Tielt (BE)
"MDD veiling, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle (BE)
"Kunstenfestival Can'Art", Kuurne (BE)
"Nightshop",MDD, Knokke (BE)
‘Tussenwereld, Intercommunale Westlede, Sint-Niklaas (BE)
‘Warum? Iedereen zijn oorlog’, Zonnebeke (BE)
‘The medium of everything’, School of arts Ghent, Ghent (BE)
‘Crox 458’, Croxhapox, Ghent (BE)
2013
‘Over Liefde die we niet begrijpen’, Kunstenfestival Watou, Watou (BE)
‘Museum aan de overkant’, VZW Wit.H, Kortrijk (BE)
‘Cantaté’, Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke (BE)
‘Spiegelbeelden,’ MADO, Kortrijk (BE)
‘The Big Draw, we draw our relationship’, The Big Draw, Ghent (BE)
2012
'de Canvascollectie/ la collection RTBF', BOZAR, Brussels (BE)
‘OFF TRACK', Ghent (BE)
‘BHArt#01', Red Fisch factory, Borgerhout (BE)
‘Kunstensalon Sant’, Bruges (BE)
2011
'Paradise lost Paradise', Sint-Maartenskerkhof, Kortrijk (BE)
'Label 08', KASK, Ghent (BE)
2010
The Swan Song of parking palace, Kortrijk (BE)
'Canvas collectie', BOZAR, Brussels (BE)
'fast forward', M HKA, Antwerp (BE)
'privat public painting', MuZEE, Ostend (BE)
'CERTIFIED COPY', Verbeke foundation, Kemzeke (BE)
2009
'How to save the world in 10 day's scrapbook', Vooruit, Ghent (BE)
'Places of memory, Places of vision', Museo di Roma in Trastevere, Rome (IT)
'Wie biedt meer?', Flagey, Brussels (BE)
Logement, Antwerp (BE)
'The ever mass land', Nadine, Brussels (BE)
'Nowhere/ Now here', Art track, Ghent (BE)
'New Times Roman', timefestival, Ghent (BE)
'The Apartment Project",Curator Laurence Dujardyn, London (UK)
2008
'KASKweek', KASK, Ghent (BE)
'At first sight', iMAL, Brussels (BE)
'Canvas collectie', BOZAR, Brussels (BE)
2007
'KASKweek', KASK, Gent (BE)
Solo exhibitions (selection)
2024
"Body is my temple", Curator Michal Trávnícek, Industry, Brno (CZ)
"Fractum domum",Galleri Kronborg, Bergen (NO)
"Draw Me a house", cc de ververij, Ronse (BE)
"Draw Me a house", Waregem (BE)
"Draw Me a house", Centre Culturel Wolubilis, Brussels (BE)
2023
"Architectural wounds", Curator Martin Ålund, Den Fantastiska Platsen, Stockholm (SWE)
"Atelier 7"Luc Peire foundation, Knokke (BE)
"39",THE WRONG HOUSE, Kortrijk (BE)
2021
"Modernism for the Future 360/365. Membrane" Villa Gaverzicht, Waregem (BE) a collaboration with Leiedal, Be-part & Kaunas and Kaunas District –
European Capital of Culture 2022
2020
"ruins", Drongenhof chapel, Gent (BE)
"Bang, Bang" show with Veerle Michiels, Raverzyde, Oostende (BE)
2019
"Denkraum", Gasthuiskapel, Borgloon (BE)
"Reflections",THE WRONG HOUSE, Kortrijk (BE)
2018
"Mr. House"(an introduction), Cité international des Arts, Paris (FR)
"Palimpsest interventions", streetart project, Paris (FR)
2017
"Mr.House", The Trophy Room, Curator Sevie Tsampalla /Alexander J. Croft , Liverpool (UK)
"Double Standard, Yart,Gent (BE)
"WANDER MEANDER II", curator Lieven Van den Abeele &Hendrik Tratsaert in the private home of Julie Vandenbroucke & Michel Espeel, Wander Meander is an initiative of the artist duo Sarah & Charles (BE)
2015
"A Pile of Homes", curator Sandra Rogier,Tour & Taxis, Brussels (BE)
"A House is not a Home, Mike Kelley version", curator Gerry Van Tendeloo, permanent installation @ Libaert projects, Kortrijk (BE)
2013
"Mentale ruimtes", Zottegem (BE)
"Form Follows Fiction ", Waregem (BE)
2012
"Habitat, un séjour à titre temporaire", Bortiergalerij, Brussels (BE)
2011
"A Space of Confinement", Benedengalerie,Kortrijk (BE)
"A Space of Confinement", Hopstreet, Brussels (BE)
"Front", Fotorama, Wevelgem (BE)
2010
"Beyond the story", CC SPOOR, Harelbeke (BE)
2009
"Immersion: Atelier 7", SEAS CC Scharpoord, Knokke (BE)
Awards & selections in competitions
2023
"Grand Prize Ernest Albert"curators: Hans Martens & Steven Op De Beeck, de garage, Mechelen (BE)
2018
selection: 50th Grand Prix of Actual Drawing", Ronse (BE)
2015
winner of provencial price East-Flanders, Gent (BE)
2014
Winner of Jan Van Rijswijck center, WARP, St-Niklaas (BE)
2013
3th price PBK City of Harelbeke (BE)
2012
selected for Canvas collection, Brussels (BE)
2010
Winner of the IMP award for young talent
selected for Canvas collection, Brussels (BE)
2008
selected by Jan Hoet for the Rodenbach award
selected for Canvas collection, Brussels (BE)
Residencies/Grants
2024
residency at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop (UK)
EKWC, Oisterwijk (NL)
2023
De grote post, Ostende, (BE)
2022
Werktank, Leuven, (BE)
Warp, Sint Niklaas (BE)
2021
Sundaymorning@ekwc, Oisterwijk (NL)
Modernism for the Future, Leiedal & Kaunas – European Capital of Culture
2020
Rucka, Cesis,(LV) cancelled by Covid
2019
Sundaymorning@ekwc, Oisterwijk (NL)
ZK/U, Center for Art and Urbanistics Berlin, (DE)
Grant, Government of Flanders, (BE)
ZSenne art lab, Brussels, (BE)
2018
Cité internationale des arts, Paris (FR)
Grant, Government of Flanders, (BE)
2016-2017
Emile Vandoorne Museum, Genk (BE)
Grant, Government of Flanders, (BE)
2016
Our Institutional Futures, Winterschool, School of Creative Arts, Dublin(IE)
2014
Grant, Government of Flanders, (BE)
2008
Rome spring academy, Rome (IT)
Cv as a Curator
2022
"PLUSSING" with Ilka De Wilde, WARP, Sint Niklaas (BE)
"Studio Den Draad", Textuur, Kortrijk (BE) result after coaching sessions.
2020
"City trip”, CC Menen (BE)
https://www.polygon360.be/citytrip/
"Behind the Glass", online show
2019
“The Wrong House” Kortrijk (BE)
“hier und Dort”, Haus am the redoute Bad Godesberg, Germany
2018
“Don’t Mention the war”, Kunstenhuis Harelbeke (BE)
2017
“Driven, story’s of objects, Museum 1302, Kortrijk (BE)
2016
“ontsluiten” Mivalti, Tielt (BE)
“Young” Kunstenhuis Harelbeke (BE)
“Maen Florin” Kunstenhuis Harelbeke (BE)
2015
“Bunker Archeology” Buda Museum, Kortrijk(BE)
“Ophelia”, Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke (BE)
2014
“Grenzeloos”, Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke(BE)
“sanseveria” Kunstenhuis Harelbeke
“Xavier Tricot” Kunstenhuis Harelbeke
2013
“Cantaté” Kunstenhuis, Harelbeke(BE)
represented in art collection Public & Private
LIEBAERT PROJECTS, Kortrijk (BE) private collection
Collection of province of east Flanders, Gent (BE) public collection
Collection of The Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK), Gent (BE)
Collection of Hotel Messeyne, Kortrijk (BE)
Collection of Provincial domaine Raverzyde, Ostend (BE)
Private collection of the family Adyns -Vanderstraeten
Private collection of the family Vandewalle-Hollevoet
Private collection of S. DeJeaghere
Private collection of J. Leysen
Private collection of J. Anckaert
Private collection of R.Martens
Private collection of S. Rogier
Private collection of K. Norro
Private collection of J. Van der Cruyssen
Private collection of the family Vermeersch
Private collection of S. Tsampalla
Private collection of F. LeJeune
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