Jan Stel (Purmerend, The Netherlands, 1970) started realistic drawing and to illustrate at a young age. He also experimented with traditional calligraphy. Stel pioneered with full color and realistic graffiti murals, ahead of his time, by regularly using no outlines and allowing the colors to blend into each other… Read More
Jan Stel (Purmerend, The Netherlands, 1970) started realistic drawing and to illustrate at a young age. He also experimented with traditional calligraphy. Stel pioneered with full color and realistic graffiti murals, ahead of his time, by regularly using no outlines and allowing the colors to blend into each other in an airbrush-like way. He also made oil-paintings inspired by the old masters of yore. This is where it is originated: the expression of realism transformed into his own unique photography style. Stel is always committed to creative processes and has worked with many different art materials. He followed courses in old darkroom and printing techniques in Museum, "Huis van Marseille" in Amsterdam. The master class ancient photography techniques 1 to 3, focused on: gum pressure, cyanotype, salt pressure and albumen pressure.
Around 1998 he became fascinated by lost glory and started to capture abandoned places
on negatives and slides. The intriguing photographs reflect the history of manmade created
structures. Where today, the absence of people and lost craftsmanship play a prominent role,
with his photography he brings them to light once again. In color and black/white. Many of
the photographed locations are demolished or have found a new purpose as a museum or
reconstruction into new work and living places.
With his new series "Industrial landscapes", Stel only works in black-and-white. The stillness through the use of black-and-white photography provides a nice balance in the rather busy environmental areas of the industry. The rich gray tones and the subtle contrast captured on the sensitive sensor show an unprecedented detail in his work. A clear characteristic and unique style of Jan Stel photography.
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Museum aan het Vrijthof
From June the 22th until September the 15th 2019, the museum in Maastricht presents a retrospective exhibition of Jan Stel. The exhibition 'Manmade / no human' comprises 68 photographs of abandoned buildings with characteristic architecture; locations that were once bustling with life and … Read More
Museum aan het Vrijthof
From June the 22th until September the 15th 2019, the museum in Maastricht presents a retrospective exhibition of Jan Stel. The exhibition 'Manmade / no human' comprises 68 photographs of abandoned buildings with characteristic architecture; locations that were once bustling with life and activity. The selected collection ranges from classic interiors to abstract industrial buildings. The ten cabinets on two levels of the monumental museum form an ideal décor for the exhibition.
http://www.janstel.nl/museum-aan-het-vrijthof/museum-aan-het-vrijthof_jan-stel.html Read Less
