The playful and universal style with clear pop art influences of this Belgian artist, born in Ostende in 1958, appeals to many people. Don Ken's playful and universal oeuvre mainly consists of paintings, but also of three-dimensional objects, installations and sculptures of the very best.

Don Ken became world-famous as one of the very best fashion and advertising photographers, but now mainly concentrates on his art career as a painter. Very recognizable are his paintings, in which he incorporates Disney and other figures, adding pointed slogans or quotes that make the spectator fully realise that (self) revelation is a savoir-vivre.

Integration and reproduction of course do not mean copying these cartoons indiscriminately. Don Ken integrates them in his visual language as a whole. He paints and over paints the figures against a brightly colored background and adds sloganesque texts. The words do not necessarily directly refer to the main figure. Everybody, the painter as well as the spectator, interprets them in his own way. Intelligent guys have more fun, It never hurts to be nice or Here's looking at perfection may be interpreted as a hidden self-glorification or as a funny way of self-criticism, depending on one's personality.

Handwritten remarks and even children's scribbles give the art work an extra personal touch. It creates a fascinating duality between our western perceptions of icons such as Mickey Mouse on the one hand and the view of the artist onthese figures on the other hand. In this way two worlds meet: the intangible world of a comic character that has become concrete and universal and the environment of the painter, who uses and depicts both the universal and the unique.

Sticking to his own style, Don Ken recently also works with puzzles and mirrors. They allow him to bring his message in a refreshing, more conceptual way. The puzzles consist of loose wooden pieces, which the art it specifically draws for each individual work of art, carefully saws and paints. For the mirrors he chooses beautiful old frames, in which he puts a broken mirror. The mirror is then painted and here and there treated with polyester. The puzzles as well as the mirrors give a special surplus value to the figures and quotes. Works of art like Some things puzzle me, Love lost does not exist and Some things need no explanation not only invite the spectator once again to (self) revelation, but definitely spontaneously make you smile.

With his unambiguous and positive message, it is not surprising that this Belgian artist is well recognized at home as well as abroad, with art exhibitions in Amsterdam, Paris, Milan, Singapore and New York. Don Ken is exclusively represented by Robinsons art Gallery in Belgium.

Editorial | Image Courtesy Of Robinsons Art Gallery