Frank van Ansem

Frank van Ansem is a minimalist who places the book at the center of his work. Driven by his interest in books, he conducts visual research into the relationship between text and image. At times, this involves typographic studies focusing on letters, words, sentences, or graffiti; other times, an exploration of images/forms takes the lead, or he uses poetry as a starting point for his work.

The book, in the form of two folded pages (the page layout), a diptych, plays a significant role in his works. The dualism of two identical forms is a recurring fascination for van Ansem. A book is a three-dimensional object that houses and archives two-dimensional images. This presents a paradox, a dual concept, a beautiful contrast. Perhaps this is why Frank does not have a clear preference for either two-dimensional or three-dimensional work. His use of color clearly reflects his graffiti background, with his love for rhythm, counter-rhythm, structure, material, and grit stemming from his work as a house painter.