on Mos Five by Dominique D'Orange

Written by Ann Timmermans

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 00:00

written by Ann Timmermans

http://isabeldelrio.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mos_v.jpg?w=141&h=300

by Dominique D'Orange

Initially the first Man of Sorrow Dominique d’Orange created, was an expressive close-up portrait of a troubled man. (mixed media, 2009) This piece was the starting point for a whole series of this Man of Sorrow. The artist found herself to be intrigued by the subject, in particular by defining the necessary constituents in the expression of sentiments whilst abstracting. These expanding series have been her study subject during the last months.

Each new Man of Sorrow print that appears, originates from different points of view and stresses another aspect of art. The first four Men of Sorrow are quite light expressions of the subject, in which d’Orange was playing with balance, colour, perspective evolving into darker, heavier, abstracted works with large contrast from MOS five onwards.

The fifth Man of Sorrow depicts the dark and melancholic side of the sorrowful man.
A mainly vertical path adds to the dramatic impression while diagonally positioned ingredients and the variety of colours are used to attain depth through perspective but are also giving us an unstable impression of the man.

The warm colours and red hues express the deep, sad emotions the confused man is experiencing. The black space contrasts with the bright white light.
The disproportionate amount of negative space accentuates the figure’s vulnerability and isolation. The frame filling man has an overall dynamic, sensitive feel.

What stroke me in this piece was the variety in use of colour as well as the substitution of clear lines with capricious and curved shapes of differing colour and contrast, creating a sense of flow within the image.

This artwork surely makes us see the Man of Sorrow, depicted by many artists such as James Ensor, in a different light, illustrating d’Oranges development towards an art which emphasizes on lines, composition, relief and colour.

http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/312

http://www.yareah.com/magazine/index.php/arts-arte/399-on-waving-grasses

Bio:

http://www.artnet.com/artist/591095/dominique-d-orange.html

Dominique d'Orange, an extremely productive Belgian artist, enrolled in the art school in Bruges and studied at the academy of Fine Arts in Ostend. Her immense oeuvre consists of acrylic, oil and wall paintings, aluminium and paper prints, installations, mixed media and multimedia work, photography, pastel drawings, gouache, abstract and graphic work., which she exhibited all over the world. After a lifetime of studying, teaching and creating art, she came to a point of having a clear and defined view upon what defines art. It is about creation, shape, lines, composition and colour. Art is redefining and abstracting. She evolved from a classical to a contemporary and graphic style, with an emphasis on lines, compositions, relief and colour.