A Duel in the Ring Print

From his interests in both classical art and modern / contemporary art, Belgian artist Jan Keteleer (JanKé) works with different styles. Ancient art is one of his interests, but you can also find examples of his work in pop art and impressionism. If you browse through Jan Keteleer's portfolio, you will find beautiful nature scenes, pictures of animals or pop art-based nudes. After years working in commercial photography, he turned his interest to artistic black and white photography. Projects such as Speecless, Silent Dialogues and Roots with Taboo brought him fame. He was inspired by the problems of the multicultural society in Belgium, the coexistence of different national and ethnic groups, the issue of the language barrier and the lack of dialogue between the "old" (the native population) and the "new" Belgians (the immigrants). JanKé attaches great importance to the social significance of his works and integrates them into the context of public space (stations, airports and public transport), prompting the viewer to react and reflect. His projects have received the support of the organization Sprakeloos, which aims to use art to provoke discussion on social issues. He had numerous exhibitions in Belgium (in Antwerp, Bruges, Lier, Leuven and Ghent), in the U.S. (in Dallas and San Francisco) and in Poland (in Krakow).