12/07/2024
Proud to be in the Milano Gazette thanks to
@ Caterina Majocchi
https://www.milanopost.info/2024/07/12/incontriamo-il-pittore-fiammingo-vincent-messelier-da-businessman-ad-artista-di-successo/
English translation
Meet Flemish painter Vincent Messelier: from businessman to successful artist
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July 12, 2024 Caterina MajocchiLeave A CommentOn Meet The Flemish Painter Vincent Messelier: From Businessman To Successful Artist
What did he do in the past?
Law school seemed the perfect path, but fate had other plans. My mother died shortly before I started college and I lost my balance. Unable to concentrate, I failed my first year.
Sales became my business. My first sales challenge was door-to-door. I learned a lot and was very shy in the beginning. I had training in hard selling, overcoming myself, but I was a salesman
Vincent Messelier
soft, even though the product was very good. So I went on the road, selling everything from the first fax machines to the first five-pound behemoths they called "portable" cell phones. Then I was called up for military service, but first I worked in a chain store called Tandy (known as Radio Shack in the United States). There were almost two hundred stores in Belgium. Unfortunately, the whole chain closed in 1992, but here I greatly refined my sales skills and marketing knowledge in this job. Then I served in the military in Germany for ten months.
Once my military service was over, real estate seemed a natural choice. I started studying for my license, eager to enter the field. However, the market in the 1990s was very competitive. I therefore turned to my family for inspiration. My father was a bailiff, and so my uncle suggested that I start a debt collection agency. "What is that?" I thought, completely unaware of the business. There was a surprising gap with the previous industry: no such agency existed in my region. Driven by a desire to help people, I plunged into it, even with minimal knowledge. My father, initially skeptical, eventually saw the possibility of collaboration. "You don't have the authority to collect debts" - he said - "You're a cowboy compared to us officials!" He was right, but "modern cowboys" had a certain appeal. In 1992, I launched my own independent debt collection agency. Over the years I built a successful business, eventually selling it to an Italian company in 2008. After a gradual transition period of three years, in 2011, I finally made the leap to my true passion: art.
What made you leave everything behind to pursue art?
Passion, passion, passion! I had no art education, I didn't even know the difference between oil, acrylic, gouache... I went to the color shop and bought some canvases, brushes, art books to get some inspiration, pallet knives and acrylic paint. So, I started in 2006 my first artwork -- and I must say it gave me a very good feeling. I started right away with pallet knives and thick acrylic paint on the canvas, mixing, just for fun. After a few months, I had made a lot of work and sold my first work to one of my best friends. Then I started thinking, "This could be a great escape from the daily stress of my job." I was doing the things I liked, feeling happy, the total opposite of what I was with my old job. A seed had been planted in my mind that was pushing me to make my true passion my work, for the rest of my life. I am still very grateful to my friend who bought my first piece of artwork -- we had worked together in the same Tandy store in previous years.
You coined the term "meridianism" to define your poetics. Can you explain what you mean?
Art called me one day, even though I had no previous experience. I started painting on my own, guided by an invisible force. My mother, a talented artist who went to the academy in her youth, died when I was nineteen. Perhaps there is a connection, an artistic spark passed down unknowingly. This artistic awakening led me to develop my own style, which I called "meridianism." With the desire to create, the concept emerged organically from within me. Meridian style is something that has bubbled up from within, just like my poetics:
"The relationship between the creator and the user is the most complex and inexplicable that has ever existed. Without words, there is a magnificently incredible communication, reflecting inner passion and understanding. The art one buys from an artist is not simply an object, but it is an investment, an investment in a piece of a heart and soul... It is also a piece of the creator's life because this art piece is not only the result of hours of mistakes and experimentation, but also years of frustrations and moments of pure joy. Art is the most valuable way of communication, knowing that the admirer and the creator can live or understand in a different way, in the knowledge that there is no right or wrong; there is only a powerful connection. This is art: touching people in their hearts without wanting to hurt, making great efforts to make people happy with the beauty of passion and the power of imagination. This is my vision of art, the way I do it, from the depths of my heart and soul. Art is my second skin!"
The word "meridianism" emerged from my creative process as an artist, because I work with pallet knives, laying paint directly on the canvas, without knowing beforehand where exactly I will start, without sketching in front. I start with a blank canvas and let it lead me, with good music and a good glass of w**e. That's how I started, and I always made something recognizable: the horizontal and vertical lines... These refer to the meridians of the planet we live on. As human beings, we also have the meridians of our bodies. The connection in my artwork can also be recognized in the people hidden in the canvas, and the questions I perhaps unconsciously ask is what are we doing here on this wonderful planet, what is our value to be able to make our contribution...
How does it relate to the use of digital technology in art and especially the use of AI?
The art world is constantly evolving, an exciting journey into creativity. Humanity thrives on the incredible combination of our intelligent minds and passionate spirits. This creative force is what drives us to build from the rich heritage of human culture around us. As we use the power of AI, it is important to make sure that our creativity continues to shape the world we imagine. I believe that, as a tool, it can be used, but never let AI take over the creativity of human beings!
I use digital programs for my digital works, where I take a painting as the first layer and then design and mix on that to achieve a unique composition and result. I employ several digital programs, but I still take my photos as a photographer, and I still make my paintings by hand with my pallet knives. All digital techniques are welcome to add value if I have the vision and have total control of the result. Thanks to digital art, other projects are underway, such as the challenge I started with Annik Meulemans, 'Clutch bags and ties,' made by printing my art on premium leather and silk. I then made the covers of Annik's books with AI, which published a book and workbook as a guide for artists to discover all the "Art Awards in Europe." HTTPs://.thebirdwing.be/books
You are working on an autobiography of your own. Can you give us a preview of it?
The author of my biography, Annik Meulemans, has provided the following synopsis:
This biography tells the inspiring story of a self-taught Flemish artist who rose from humble beginnings to international recognition. It traces his journey from a childhood in Flanders to becoming a successful artist. We witness key moments that shaped him, his early struggles and triumphs in the art world, and the opening of his gallery. The story highlights his strength in the face of challenges and his unwavering passion for creating art. By exploring his creative process and the emotions within his work, the book offers a deeper understanding of the artist and the transformative power of art. Ultimately, it is a celebration of the possibility of achieving extraordinary things through dedication and perseverance.
https://vincentmesselier.com
Di cosa si occupava in passato? La facoltà di legge sembrava la strada perfetta, ma il destino aveva altri piani. Mia madre morì poco prima di iniziare l’università e persi l’equilibrio. Incapace di concentrarmi, ho fallito il mio primo anno. Le vendite sono diventate il mio business. La mia ...
