Javier Fernandez
“What makes my work so radical? First of all because I rule out any concept that I consider as being alien to the artistic essence. There is no naturalistic interpretation to be found in my work, neither an idealistic aim. It is detached from feelings and personal statements.” “We clear the horizon”. But also because my work, globally seen, is radical: a) considering the character of my work that I consider as an exercise for the spirit and the hand, and nothing more b) considering the general project, the intention to work with colour and textile in order to achieve an artistic object, and nothing more c) because of the type of action that I conceived based on the radicality of the conception, the rationality of the production and the adapted execution. All these concepts share one aim: the absence of ambiguity and a permanent clarity F. Javier Fernandez. 2002
The artworks are all hand woven with a synthetic silk warp and a thick cotton weft. RADICAL comes from the Latin word radix (root) and refers to what originates; it is the fundamental starting point of anything that is organized. Can we call radical anything that has been developed from an clearly defined origin? Each work is the materialization....2003 /2005 Each work is the materialization of an idea or a concept supported by a line of action achieved through technique into appropriate materials and put forward in a certain way. Neither paintings, nor sculptures, my works are strongly characterized textile items. They do doubtlessly owe a lot to these two disciplines but are equally closely linked to tapestries, regarding materials and technique. The textile object discloses itself frontally, in parallel with the wall. Limited space of a coloured material, rectangular surface finely textured, shiny and strongly vibrating in the light, vertically structured as an orderly relief in a continuous rhythm. The spatial disposition is clear, structured, with so to say no formal elements, unambiguous: the reading is straight, global and easy. Notes on the sizes The external shape is rectangular, adequate the used techniques to create the works of art: working on a vertical loom, orthogonal weave of the wefts. For the size the rule of golden ratio is applied. The absolute measurements are restrited by practical elements as the height of the walls, width of the loom and manipulation. The physical relation to the spectator is very important. The perceved sizes without distancing oneself too much from the work of art, provides a sensitive feel of implication. The internal shape, as a theme or motif, is unexistant.
Belgian. Born in Santander (Spain) in 1942. Lives in Brussels. Individual Exhibition 2011 Art Brussels, Nomade Gallery. Brusels 2011 Recent works, Galeria Presença, Lisbon, Portugal Linea, Los Angeles 2010 Untrue Colors, CO21 centre de couleur contemporaine asbl, Brussels Duale, Office d’Art Contemporain Gallery, Brussels 2009 Cycle Maîtrise, Ecole des Arts, Braine-l’Alleud 2007 Baer Art Center, Iceland 2004 Tapestry Museum and Foundation, Tournai, Belgium 2002 Radical,Atelier 340 Muzeum, Brussels 2000 Fêtes de la Saint-Martin, Tourinnes-la-Grosse, Belgium 1992 Atelier 340, Brussels 1980 Recent Works, Vandevelde Hotel - La Cambre School of Visual Arts, Brussels Collective Exhibitions (selection) 2011 Atelier 340. Bruxelles 2003 Gluren bij de buren, Vizo, Brussels 2002 Centenario Torino 1902-2002, Turin, Italie 2000 From Rags to Riches, Tapestry Museum and foundation, Tournai, Belgium 1995 L’Atelier 340 à 15 ans, Atelier 340, Brussels 1990 Materia Spiritualis, Paul Dewver Gallery, Wakken, Belgium 1984 Surface Sculpturale, Atelier 340, Brussels 1983 Recherches 83, Maison de la Culture, Tournai; Belgium 1979 Oeuvres acquisent par le Ministère de la Culture Française 1976-1978, Palais des Beaux-arts, Brussels 1978 La Cambre 1928-1978, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels Collections Tapestry Museum and Foundation, Tournai, Belgium CBR, Site-specific work, Brussels Conseil de l’Union Européenne, Site-specific work, Brussels Private collections in Belgium, USA, Israel, Spain.
