Charline Tyberghein

°1993, Antwerp (BE) - lives and works in Antwerp (BE)

Charline Tyberghein’s paintings are composed of abstract geometric patterns, optical illusions and small symbols. Her work balances comedy and tragedy. The beautiful colours, playful shapes, and optical illusions give a cheerful impression. However, these find a counterbalance in the sometimes dark undertones of the symbols she paints, such as a noose, or a weeping candle.

It may be surprising in these times of digital technology that Tyberghein does not digitally design her optical illusions before she starts painting. The artist is very decided about this: she does not work with computers. It is important to her that everything is created manually. Thus, for her, each painting is an exercise in how a pattern behaves during her working process. Because of this, she also does not know what a painting will look like until it is finished.

 

Charline Tyberghein
Courtesy of the artist. Photot by Tim Coppens

Charline Tyberghein combines these geometric patterns and optical illusions with small, figurative symbols. For these symbols, she draws on her own database, which she has been building for years. The sources of inspiration are very diverse: heraldry and pictograms, the internet, road signs, or advertising. Recurring symbols include a wine glass, a cigarette, matches, drops, a knife or rope, candles, and so on. Tyberghein looks for symbols that she can easily give human traits.

The symbols have no meaning in themselves. You might think that a cigarette, for instance, symbolises a break. But Tyberghein prefers not to assign individual meanings to these symbols. She prefers to approach them like an alphabet. Meaning is created by the relationship of different symbols to each other. The artist sees her paintings as exercises in visually expressing a feeling, without explicitly showing what it is about.

 

Charline Tyberghein’s work has been exhibited internationally, at Beurschouwburg, Brussels; Kunsthalle Bielefeld; MUHKA, Antwerp; Castor, London; de Warande, Turnhout; L21, Palme de Mallorca; The Hole, New York; and Future Gallery, Berlin.

Charline Tyberghein is represented by the following gallery;
click through to discover more of her work.

Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp

works by Charline Tyberghein

Charline Tyberghein - Trickle, 2022

Charline Tyberghein

Trickle (carpet)

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