M HKA Ensembles

Painting, 190 x 170 x 3 cm.

Collection: Collection M HKA, Antwerp (Inv. no. BK007694).

What is most striking in Jan Van Imschoot’s work is his fluent brush technique. This virtuosity, however, contrasts with his balanced use of colour. The artist effectively uses materials and technique to represent his themes, which is also visibly noticeable in his work *Ladyboy-Curleyman*. Van Imschoot seems to have a preference for life on the outskirts of society, which exudes a dubious and strange atmosphere. However, by way of their technically refined representation, his figures no longer appear as stereotypical outsiders, but possess a certain depth. Through a social critical view the artist wishes to address the narrow-mindedness of their fellow human beings. Van Imschoot himself feels that his work should be read as literature, so that the painted image tells a complete story in itself, which in its turn can contribute to insights in humanity. Thus, the work *Ladyboy-Curleyman* becomes more than a portrait of a hermaphrodite or a transsexual. It appears to be a human being with full-fledged emotions and internal conflicts, just as the artist intended it to be.