In anticipation of his upcoming release of large-scale works, Otomys sits down with contemporary Antwerp-based artist, Piet Raemdonck, to talk about his life as an artist and how this impresses itself into his paintings. Having spent most of his life living and working in the heart of Belgium, Piet reflects on the rich influence of his daily life—whether in the bustling city of Antwerp or the quiet countryside of his childhood—and how these environments shape his paintings.
From the balance between abstraction and representation to his unorthodox approach to materials, Piet's work is a testament to his connection to both nature and urban culture. In this in conversation, Raemdonck shares insights into his practice, the significance of geometry and perspective, and the dialogue between his past and present works.
OTOMYS: You have lived and worked solely as an artist in Antwerp, Belgium for most of your life. Tell us about life as an artist and how your daily life impresses itself into your paintings.
PIET RAEMDONCK: I began my journey as an independent artist shortly after earning my Master's in Visual Arts in Antwerp. In my early twenties, I took on commissioned drawings and paintings. However, by the time I turned thirty, I made the shift to living entirely off my personal artistic vision, focusing solely on the work that truly resonated with me.
I was born in Ghent and spent my childhood in the surrounding countryside, while also attending a weekend art school in a nearby small town—an experience that has been incredibly important to my artistic development. I later moved to Antwerp to study graphic arts, and I lived there for almost three decades. A few years ago, I moved back to the countryside of my childhood, though I still frequent Antwerp. I’m deeply connected to nature, yet I also have a strong affinity for city life and culture.
Daily life is a central theme in my work. I blend direct observation with photographic source images in my paintings. For many years, using photos felt almost taboo to me—I believed I should paint and draw solely from life, with a sense of solemnity. Now, however, I truly enjoy the freedom of using a found image or a casual snapshot as a starting point.
All four paintings feature a table, which, like the chair, I believe holds archetypal qualities. The table serves as the heart of the home, a gathering place. The fruit bowl and flower vase in the paintings are both highly intentional visuals. Belgian novelist Eric de Kuyper once wrote in one of his novels that, as a child, he believed a fruit bowl was only for looking at, much like a flower vase. The flower vase and the fruit bowl are deliberately placed. They might possibly be a conversation piece. But I love the complete random compositions that can accidentally take place on a table! The 'found still lifes'. I think visual value has very little to do with monetary value..and what we call clutter can become a magnificent still life in the eye of the beholder!
The fruits in VRUCHTEN are done in an understated manner. One of the fruit bowls remains more of a drawing within what reads as a painting, with the painterly action subtly suggesting, "these are probably bananas" through a simple scratch.
In RONDE TAFEL, there is a "flower vase," but it’s almost invisible, dissolving into the dark edges of the painting through transparency and translucency. It holds translucent Lunaria flower seeds in a simple clear glass vase. The main focus of the painting, however, is on the colourful, undefined forms that stand out as the true characters of the piece.
OTOMYS: Your series presents a dialogue between abstraction and representation. How do you balance the tension between what is defined and what remains undefined, and what role does this play in the way viewers engage with the paintings?
PIET RAEMDONCK: As an artist I feel I want both the abstract and the figurative. Both excite me, and in my work, there’s a kind of pendulum swing between the two. I believe it's inherent in both people and animals to attach meaning, or even invent meaning, to what we see. I think it's an art and a powerful tool to be able to observe with an abstract eye. Geometry, in particular, holds something sacred about it.
My earliest art memory, which must have been when I was about three or four, is of my kindergarten teacher drawing a circle in the middle of my own drawing. I can still remember the awe I felt, as I wasn't yet able to draw a circle with that same level of control.
In the painting TULPEN, there’s a clear interplay between representation and abstraction. The title—“tulips”—is undeniably representational, yet the bright flowers are subtly toned down. Instead, abstract shapes with much stronger contrast than the flowers themselves take on a prominent role in the painting. A geometric, often triangular play runs throughout, stepping to the forefront.
OTOMYS: In some paintings you work on a rougher canvas without traditional white gesso and oil paint with oil crayon. What is the significance of this material choice, and how does it influence the experience of the painting?
PIET RAEMDONCK: I bought a huge role of unprepared canvas a while ago, and it had been hanging around in my studio for quite some time. When I started using it I noticed that there were some rather stubborn folds in the fabric. Despite this, I immediately embraced it, and opted for a transparent base coat, not white gesso.
I find it paramount to allow the materials I use to speak! Textile has a tendency to fold, as much as paint has a tendency to drip and to run. Without it becoming a mannerism, I believe in clumsiness in art to some degree..
I find academic art that is so controlled it feels like it's in a straitjacket to be quite problematic. In MIDDAGLICHT, however, you can really sense that this was painted on a piece of textile, much more so than if it were on a traditional white gessoed canvas. Some of the folds in the fabric also play a role, contributing to the final visual effect in a meaningful way.
OTOMYS: With experience in film directing, do you see a direct correlation between film and the way you approach painting, particularly in terms of composition and storytelling?
PIET RAEMDONCK: I added a year of audio-visual arts to my Master’s in Visual Arts, and while it was only a brief period, it had a significant impact on me. It was in film school that I—rather abruptly—realised that "perspective" is not just a mathematical or geometrical concept, as it was in visual art school, where it had to be "correct." I came to understand that perspective is also dramatic, a choice.
Perspective as "point of view," not just in a visual sense but also from a philosophical standpoint, and as a way of telling a story. I remember hearing the great artist Louis Fratino talk about "ecstatic perspective," and I think that phrase perfectly describes much of what is happening in his work.
In terms of composition, the concept of the "outside the screen" is very important in cinema, and it fascinates me—the idea of the thing not shown, the thing not told. "Framing" has many meanings, and we all know more than one. I like my compositions to have a sense of movement. Often, I reframe my work after it’s finished, altering the story at the very end.
April 22, 2025
