Others about Gerda Van Damme
Véra Kempf, co-founder of Singulart:
“It seems to me that the strongest quality of Gerda Van Damme’s portfolio is its conceptual depth and narrative potential. The individual series may appear different on the surface, but they are connected by a sustained interest in the human condition: memory, loss, loneliness, childhood, time, missed opportunities and the relationship between the individual and the surrounding world.
The ability to transform relatively simple subjects into broader reflections on existence is what distinguishes the portfolio. Gerda Van Damme is not simply depicting people or situations; she is constructing visual narratives around experiences that are difficult to articulate directly. This gives the work a distinctive intellectual and emotional dimension. The different bodies of work already share a common concern with human. I see her work as considerably more artistic and conceptually driven than decorative.
On a technical level, Gerda Van Damme’s portfolio immediately presents a strong sense of stylistic coherence, even though the subjects vary considerably. She works with figures, children, animals, domestic objects, landscapes and narrative scenes. What connects these different subjects is a consistent atmosphere: nostalgic, contemplative and slightly melancholic, often placing the human figure within an environment that becomes part of the psychological narrative. Her choice of oil on linen is particularly effective for this approach. The surfaces are relatively smooth rather than heavily textured, allowing the imagery and atmosphere to remain central. At the same time, the handling of the human figure demonstrates a strong technical foundation, with convincing proportions, controlled forms and a clear understanding of how to construct a figure within a larger pictorial space. Colour is also used very intentionally. Her ability to use colour not merely decoratively but psychologically is one of the strongest aspects of her technique.”
Rossi Charmoli, owner and director of Charmoli Ciarmoli, New York:
“Her traditional technical applications of paint, leaning impressionistic, combine with lighting that brings an uncanny quality to the compositions, as if they were figments of imagination or recollections of distant memories. Her treatment of subject and scene is effective, bringing the eyes immediately to where she wants to lead the viewer.
For lovers of Magritte and Vermeer with a turn of the century photographic lens you will find much to enjoy in Gerda Van Damme's works. Van Damme smartly arranges compositions filled with intrigue, fine details, and gestural impressionistic qualities. Priced nicely within standards, Van Damme's works are a solid addition your collection."
Flavio Scaloni, Galería Lo Scalo, Brussels:
“The main strength of her work lies in its psychological depth and in her ability to transform the intimate into the universal. Her investigation of memory, childhood, and the passage of time carefully avoids decorative nostalgia in order to explore more unsettling and existential areas. The series ‘The Way We Were’ is especially powerful because it reinterprets the family archive with critical distance and palpable emotional weight. Her works are not mere images but reflections on the human condition. Her technical mastery of oil on linen and wood demonstrates a high level of academic rigor in the service of a contemporary aesthetic.”