A pair of folded hands in the medieval Isenheim Altarpiece became the starting point for<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jos\u00e9 Krijnen\u2019s extensive painterly and theoretical exploration of human gestures. In her<\/p>\n\n\n\n
work, the gesture is central. A versatile and fluid movement that can carry a spectrum of<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meanings, from connection and communication to mystery and contradiction. As<\/p>\n\n\n\n
philosopher Francis Bacon (1561\u20131626) remarked: \u201cAnd as for gestures, they are as<\/p>\n\n\n\n
transitory hieroglyphics, and are to hieroglyphics as words spoken are to words written, in<\/p>\n\n\n\n
that they abide not; but they have evermore, as well as the other, an affinity with the<\/p>\n\n\n\n
things signified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Krijnen, gestures operate in much the same way as memory. Both are fragile yet<\/p>\n\n\n\n
persistent, transient yet deeply evocative. A loving gesture in one moment might appear<\/p>\n\n\n\n
threatening in another; an action expressing appreciation in one culture might hold an<\/p>\n\n\n\n
entirely different, even offensive, meaning elsewhere. This inherent ambiguity is what<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Krijnen consciously brings into her artistic practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her paintings, gestures and memories acquire their meanings in the moment, shaped<\/p>\n\n\n\n
by the viewer\u2019s interpretation and the cultural lens they bring to the work. Yet, even as we<\/p>\n\n\n\n
perceive an underlying, universal truth in her images, it eludes precise definition. Like<\/p>\n\n\n\n
memory itself, Krijnen\u2019s work remains fluid, constantly shifting depending on time, context,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
and perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Layers of Meaning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Krijnen\u2019s approach parallels elements of Islamic miniature art. In many miniatures, as in<\/p>\n\n\n\n her paintings, the backgrounds are derived from textile designs, such as medallion<\/p>\n\n\n\n carpets. Her works often feature intricate, geometric star patterns and arabesques,<\/p>\n\n\n\n reminiscent of Spanish or Portuguese tiles from regions once under Islamic rule. These<\/p>\n\n\n\n repeated patterns, known for their full tessellation, represent infinity, the eternal, and the<\/p>\n\n\n\n all-encompassing creation. In Krijnen\u2019s work, this visual repetition mirrors the cyclical and<\/p>\n\n\n\n fluid nature of memory. As Dutch author Cees Nooteboom wrote: \u201cIs there an archaeology<\/p>\n\n\n\n of gestures? How old is the gesture with which a woman lifts her offering basket of fruit to<\/p>\n\n\n\n her head? \u2026gestures cannot be petrified; they have to be recreated. Their history is<\/p>\n\n\n\n ancient, but their archaeology has no date\u2026 repetition is an attempt of cyclical time to<\/p>\n\n\n\n approach eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This sentiment resonates deeply with Krijnen\u2019s practice. Her work is not about presenting<\/p>\n\n\n\n fixed meanings but about capturing the transcendence and universal realities embedded<\/p>\n\n\n\n in gestures, patterns, and cultural symbols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawing as Speculation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In recent years Jose Krijnen has shifted her focus to black-and-white charcoal drawings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These works emphasize texture, featuring intricate, fabric-like patterns that both conceal<\/p>\n\n\n\n and reveal traces of the human form. The structured lines and complex designs create a<\/p>\n\n\n\n sense of movement and depth, encouraging viewers to pause and find \u201cbreathing spaces\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n amid the density of detail. For Jose Krijnen, drawing offers a more immediate and raw<\/p>\n\n\n\n process than painting. Inspired by the textures of bark and her study of Flemish<\/p>\n\n\n\n Primitives, she sees drawing as a speculative act, an exploration without the need for<\/p>\n\n\n\n definitive answers. These works balance ambiguity and openness, allowing for a dynamic<\/p>\n\n\n\n interaction between artist and viewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Painting Rediscovered<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While Krijnen has spent much of the past years drawing, she recently rediscovered<\/p>\n\n\n\n painting through her collaboration with the SEA Foundation again. Returning to painting<\/p>\n\n\n\n felt like coming home, a medium where she could layer symbols, textures, and colours<\/p>\n\n\n\n more instinctively than in drawing. This rediscovery has deepened her practice, blending<\/p>\n\n\n\n her humanistic background with a renewed focus on craftsmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bio<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jose Krijnen (Breda, 1972) is currently a PhD candidate at UvT Tilburg. She completed a<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fine Art program at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (NL) and graduated with<\/p>\n\n\n\n distinction. She also studied Humanistic Studies at the University of Utrecht. She has<\/p>\n\n\n\n showcased her work in various group and solo exhibitions across the Netherlands and<\/p>\n\n\n\n internationally, including recent shows at Big Art in Amsterdam and in venues like<\/p>\n\n\n\n projectspace BMB, Kunstenlab in Deventer and China. She has been nominated for the<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buning Brongers Prize. Krijnen also serves as the chairperson of the art committee at the<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elisabeth-Tweesteden Hospital in Tilburg and has held several teaching positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n TEXT by SEA Foundation Tilburg<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2315","page","type-page","status-publish"],"yoast_head":"\n