Johan Messely
20/02/1953
Johan Messely creates colourful oil on canvas, featuring typical scenes from the Provence region. It‘s hard not wanting to nestle in and take in the abundance of sun, shadow, calm and peace that each of his paintings emits. The play of light and dark is the main ingredient for his photographic works when depicting: the southern light, the fresh nature, flowery pergolas, gardens overwhelmed with sunlight and comfy terraces. Time after time, Johan seeks out refreshing ideas and unique compositions for his next painting. Each of his works acts like a window through which the sun enters in your own home.
Besides the oil on canvas, Johan also works with pastel. He not only masters the two entirely different techniques, but differentiates by working around a totally different subject, too. In his oil on canvas he has never to date depicted people, whereas he puts “the” individual, “the woman”, in the centre of his drawings. Johan has most definitely evolved in his work. Whereas he used to sketch the model vividly in the past, he now surrounds her with a rich environment, such as flowery fields, rocks, or in a warm interior.
