Filip Henin

Filip Henin's paintings are heavily influenced by his childhood and teenage years spent in the Italian Alps with his family. A solitary person in nature is often depicted in his works, sometimes blending seamlessly into the landscapes behind through the use of transparent brushstrokes. His compositions are heavily influenced by his interest in photography, and he is particularly drawn to the work of Man Ray and Cindy Sherman, who use similar techniques of manipulation and experimentation in their photography. Henin also finds inspiration in other artists who create solitary figures, such as Gustave Courbet's Man Mad with Fear (1843) and Renato Guttuso's Palinuro (1931), which lead his paintings to convey a sense of melancholy, featuring characters who seem to be in a state of torment and loss. His paintings are deeply considered, yet they also have a sense of spontaneity, as if they are a product of his imagination in motion, captured at moments of intimacy amidst the turmoil, and are mutable until the final layer of paint dries.