Abstraction Meets Imagination

Ria Bosmans’ exhibition Op het ritme van de stilte seems to radiate stillness and restraint — rhythm through repetition. Do you see affinities with your own way of working?

Absolutely. Ria’s work unfolds slowly. You notice the repetition, the materials, and how she lets things rest. That resonates with me. In my work, I often return to the same gestures or motifs — not out of habit, but because the variation in repetition reveals something new.

We both allow the material to lead. It’s a kind of listening, really. There’s intention, but also a willingness to follow.

We both allow the material to lead. It’s a kind of listening

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Speaking of following materials, your book is an interesting point of departure. The term ‘farde’ in Flemish refers to a folder or binder, often containing assorted materials. How does this relate to the structure of your book?

Farde emerged from a desire to document and share my drawing archive in the same way I kept it in my studio—a play of plastic folders containing variations on a couple of recurring themes. It’s not merely a catalogue but a tactile exploration, preserving processes and giving form to often-overlooked elements. Collaborating with Ramsdam Books’ Maya (Strobbe – founder) made me aware that the way I previously presented the folder of drawings in an exhibition was worth replicating for the publication because it was integral to the experience of leafing through and touching the plastic, protecting the fragile drawing within. It made sense to translate that into the book — to keep that intimacy, the invitation to touch and still preserve at the same time.

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There’s a kind of pleasure in the physicality — the way it asks you to slow down.

SV: Yes, and in the pictures too — little pictures. We underestimate how powerful small, quiet images can be. A lot of my drawings are like that: modest in scale, not shouting. There’s something personal in that kind of image. They might appear abstract, but they’re full of memory and association. For example, I made a series of variations on rose-shaped forms, named Rosette, after my grandmother.

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Your work sometimes flirts with the line between art and craft. How do you perceive this Intersection?

I view craft as an integral component of artistic expression. The sense of labour — of repetition, tactility — is very present in my practice. Craft is often dismissed as decorative or domestic, but I think it carries weight and an inherent femininity, maybe. There’s a kind of slow resistance in craft, in making something by hand over and over. My drawings are often delicate, but they come from that place of persistence and care. The distinction between art and craft is fluid for me; both involve a deep engagement with materials and processes, serving as conduits for observation and reflection.

The distinction between art and craft is fluid; both involve deep engagement with materials

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Considering the minimalist tendencies in both your work and Bosmans’, how do you approach a certain abstraction?

In my view, minimalism is about distilling elements to their essence without sacrificing depth. By limiting variables, there’s an opportunity to delve deeper into the nuances of materials and forms. This restraint creates a heightened awareness and allows subtle details to emerge, creating space for imagination to grow. Titles can be an interesting tool here. They’re not explanations — more like doors you can step through. They open something. Even in Ria’s show, I think the titles do that: they let you look differently, never giving away too much but inviting you to come up with the meaning and story yourself. I wish people would keep the titles in mind as they look because they might tilt how you read a shape or a texture. That yellow mirror form — is it just geometry, or could it be something else? I like that the story isn’t fixed, but it’s not completely free either. You can imagine your own version, and it might be closer to the truth than you’d expect.

Titles are not explanations — more like doors you can step through

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<div class="editorial-banner"> <div class=“editorial-credits”>@s.ofiev.andevoorde<br>@bepart_platform<br>@ria.bosman.gent<br><br>Ria Bosman<br>Op het ritme van de Stilte<br>until 09.06.2025<br>Kortrijk, Be-Part<br><br>Sofie Vandevoorde<br>Loose Ends<br>23.05.2025 - 05.06.2025<br>Oudenaarde, Gevaertsdreef 1</div></div>