Frank Kenis

In a sharply delineated way the creations of Frank Kenis focus on crossing borders.  Just as a character meets itself, locked in the frame of the take, our lives too are hemmed in by walls, rules, appearances, formalities, education, nationalities, power structures and country borders.  The oppressiveness of boundaries is certainly very present in Kenis’ oeuvre; still his imaging takes a decisive step forward.   Simultaneously this idiom strengthens our intuition concerning human ways of being in the world.  An awareness we can live through in moments of positive silence.  When all is silent, nothing is lacking, though people can be very much terrified by silence, because it entails a confrontation with oneself.

Saint John of the Cross wrote:  ‘Anyone who has to find a hidden treasure must enter the hiding place secretly, and once he has discovered it, he will also be hidden as the treasure is hidden.’   This way the paintings of Frank Kenis disclose things allowing us to hide within ourselves.  He doesn’t paint the things an sich, but the outcomes they trigger.   Objects are immersed in particular surroundings, whose proper feel they do not in any obvious way uncover, but are helpful to suggest  a deeper meaning.  In the physic...

Graduated from Sint-Lucas university college Antwerp.
‘Master in Art, Graphic Design’ 1991 – 1995

2019 BAD Belgium Art & Design, Ghent ( solo booth)
2019 GALLERY 15/17, Antwerp,‘Crossing borders’ (Solo)
2019 GALLERY Fox Jensen, Auckland -New Zealand (Group show)
2019 Art Nocturne Knocke (solo booth)
2019 GALLERY Fox Jensen, Sydney -Australia (Group show)
2018 GALLERY Ysebaert, Ghent, (Solo)
2018 ‘Anatomical Theatre’, Leuven,‘Connections’ (Group show)
2018 GALLERY 15/17, Antwerp,‘Connections’ (Solo)
2018 DE WINKELHAAK | HOUSE OF C - Where creative people connect. (Solo)
2018 INSIDE/ART - Flanders Expo, Ghent (Solo booth)
2018 GALLERY 15/17, Antwerp,‘Portraits’
Group show (Edwige Fouvry, Frank Kenis, Sarah Melloul, Florian Eymann, ao)
2018 BAD - Belgium Art & Design, Ghent
Curated by Daan Rau (Solo booth)
2017 GALLERY 15/17, Antwerp,‘Turning Point’ (Solo)
2017 BAD - Belgium Art & Design, Ghent
Curated by Willem Elias (Solo booth)
2016 GALLERY 15/17, Antwerp,‘When the day is done’ (Solo)
2016 GALLERY S&H De Buck, Ghent, ‘Sentimos’
Group show (Johan Clarysse, Frank Kenis, Reniere & Depla, Stefaan Van Biesen, ao )
2016 GALLERY 'inSight'(window), Antwerp (Solo)
2016 GALLERY S&H De Buck, Ghent
Group show (Nico Vaerewijck, Frank Kenis & Hans Defer)
2016 Kiwanis, Internat...