Untitled

"Over the years, my work ended up talking about the character of the "self-centred artist", a bit of a pathetic figure because he is always suffering. It amuses me to play around with this theme, and it allows me to make fun of myself a little bit. It's good for me, it's almost therapeutic." Julien Meert, 2023.

Although primarily known for his paintings, Meert has always been an avid drawer. In this part of his practice, he allows himself more freedom and spontaneity. His drawings are not preparatory sketches for his paintings but stand on their own. This drawing (untitled, like all his drawings) is part of a series he made in 2021, shortly after the outbreak of the COVID epidemic. The work conjures up the loneliness and intimacy of a private space during lockdown.

On the far left, we see a farting figure, his bottom raised towards us. There are also five other characters, including a shouting figure at the bottom, cut off by the edge of the drawing. This is a digital photomontage of a crash test dummy and a mummy, printed out in black and white, re-coloured with thin layers of oil paint, and finally cut out and pasted onto the paper. Immediately to the left is a self-portrait of the artist, mouth agape, clutching his head. The drawing exudes a palpable malaise, which is a staple of Meert's art.

Julien Meert considered this the strongest drawing in the series and chose it as the cover of his first solo album (Futura Resistenza, Brussels/Rotterdam, May 2023).