Michiel Deneckere (b. 2002, Ghent), a master's student at the Luca School of Arts in Ghent, was profoundly influenced at the beginning of his studies by the works of artists such as Léon Spilliaert and Giorgio de Chirico. Their use of light, combined with a sense of alienation and desolation, resonated deeply with him. Spilliaert and de Chirico create a distorted, stylised representation of the city, crafting more of an idea of a city rather than an exact portrayal of reality. This approach, where reality is transformed into a constructed depiction, is also reflected in Deneckere's own work. He does not strive for a faithful reproduction of reality; the facades in his paintings resemble stage sets, while the depicted figures appear more as characters or actors. His works collectively form a portrait of the idea of the city of Ghent.

The title of the exhibition, ‘Midnight in a perfect world’, is inspired by the iconic track by DJ Shadow from his groundbreaking album Endtroducing….. released in 1996. Although the title suggests a moment of perfect harmony, the music exudes a complex and melancholic atmosphere. The layered, ethereal sounds create a mood that feels both intimate and distant.

In the exhibition, this theme is interwoven with the illusory nature of the everyday, behind which often lies a harsh, unvarnished reality. The duality between light and darkness, as suggested by the nocturnal setting in the title of the exhibition, amplifies the tension between the dream of perfection and the inevitable reality of imperfection. The paintings often contain a mix of beauty and darkness, touching on themes such as boredom, urban life, and youth.

Deneckere’s fascination with alienation and the surreal atmosphere of the city is also echoed in literature, such as in Le Spleen de Paris by Charles Baudelaire and the fragmentary writings of Franz Kafka. From Baudelaire's texts, he derived a world in which beauty and evil are inextricably linked, where humans constantly balance between striving for the sublime and descending into banality. Kafka’s work, on the other hand, inspired him with its claustrophobic atmosphere. In the realm of cinema, directors such as David Lynch, Peter Greenaway, Chantal Akerman, Pedro Costa, Luis Buñuel, and Alex van Warmerdam have left their mark on his work, both thematically and aesthetically, due to the unique atmosphere their films evoke.

Night is a significant theme in Michiel Deneckere’s work because, for him, it causes a suspension of time. Hours seem to merge, creating a distinct sense of time—a kind of time vacuum. Chantal Akerman's film

Toute une nuit (1982), which captures a night in Brussels through fragmentary scenes of love, loneliness, and everyday moments, inspired him to set this series of paintings at night. Street lighting plays a crucial role: illuminating scenes, alleys, and facades while creating a certain theatricality. The light in his paintings is strongly influenced by Caravaggio, with his use of chiaroscuro, deep shadows, and a cinematic power that is enhanced by perspective. These elements contribute to the cinematic images he creates: carefully composed scenes, interspersed with close-ups and crop-outs, giving the illusion that the larger whole disappears beyond the canvas. Like a Bruegel painting that has been cut into pieces, a larger context always exists, but it lies just out of sight.

Caravaggio is a particularly strong influence in Deneckere's work. For him, Caravaggio embodies cinema in painting. He traveled to Rome to study the work of this great Italian master and discovered there a similar theatricality, partly created by light, shadows, and perspective. The figures in Caravaggio’s oeuvre, often people from the street and acquaintances of the painter, were placed in a constructed world in which the Christian message was central. These figures, often marginal members of society, were depicted by Caravaggio in a world that was meant to convey credibility and humanity, which he succeeded in doing. When Deneckere looks at Caravaggio's work, the religious narratives sometimes fade into the background, and the faces of the everyday people from Caravaggio's time and surroundings come to the fore. In this sense, Caravaggio's work also serves as a historical document. Although Caravaggio worked on commission for the church, he ultimately painted his fellow human beings.

In his own work, Michiel strives for a similar authenticity or credibility in the characters he paints. The people he depicts are often friends and acquaintances, with stories hidden behind their faces. However, it is not his intention to bring these stories to the forefront; they remain concealed beneath the surface of the illusory world in which the characters find themselves. These characters are reduced to actors in a constructed reality, a representation of life. There is often a certain distance between the characters and their environment, and the young people he depicts experience an existential emptiness and a longing for something more. They carry a sense of ambiguity or uncertainty about the future. Just as Caravaggio painted on commission for the church but hid a certain autobiography in his work, Deneckere’s paintings also contain a hidden autobiographical element. His characters often

appear pensive and aimless, performing actions whose purpose remains unclear. This invites the viewer to look beyond what is depicted on the canvas.

Deneckere’s work raises questions about how images interact with one another, as in film, and whether this same effect is possible in painting. How does one create connections between the various scenes? He emphasizes the stillness of time, action, and image that is inherently linked to painting. What happens beyond the canvas becomes as important as what is depicted on it. The image itself takes center stage; narration and theme are of secondary importance. The viewer is invited to fill in the gaps and complete the narrative, allowing the work to be finished in the viewer’s imagination.

Another important aspect of his work is the attempt to evoke a cinematic whole through paintings. In his work, the scene in the foreground is sometimes subordinate to the environment. The focus is on the architecture and atmosphere of the city, making the narrative secondary. The image of the city he shapes thus acquires a surreal character. At the same time, he portrays buildings and facades that withstand the test of time, while people come and go. The emphasis is on a sense of alienation between humans and their urban environment, and on the loss of connection with a physical place. His work thus serves as documentation of a specific place through painting.

Exhibitions

2024   Midnight in a perfect world, ( s o o n ) gallery, Antwerp - solo show
2024   Exploring, Fourfortyfour, Bruges – group show
2024   Steeds buiten, Coxhapox, Ghent – group show
2024   (Her)mael, Coxhapox, Ghent – group show
2022   Barbildung, Oude Tramstelpaats, Merelbeke – group show
2022   Umor, Salvatore, Ghent – group show
2021   Door het doek het schilderij, Roger Raveel Museum, Zulte – group show