Statements
My paintings tell stories by focusing on what is important in life-- social, political and personal issues that affect us all. I portray objects that symbolize these issues, combined in purposeful ways, often against black backgrounds in order to focus complete attention on them, as if illuminated by spotlight. Even though certain subject matters and the circumstances or situations they represent may be difficult for some to contemplate, I seek the beauty within them regardless.
By painting portraits of common things, I remove all connotations that may relate to specific people, places or - often times. It is the universality of these symbols and what they represent that is significant-- to all of us, no matter who we are. At the same time, I paint in such a way that these compositions can be taken entirely at face value and appreciated on purely aesthetic terms, as classic representational still-life’s, without the necessity of referencing anything beyond that. But the invitation is always extended to explore as deeply and thoughtfully as one might wish.
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My statement
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Jette van der Lendes painting ’He who lives on illusions, dies of disappointment’ is both incredibly thought-provoking and technically sharp.
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Galleriverkstedet H12
L’artista si butta a capofitto in un’avventura rischiosa e affascinante allo stesso tempo. Se da una parte sperimenta tecniche iperrealistiche al confine dell’illogico. dall’altra crea uno spazio sovrumano in cui fissa i primi piani e i loro riflessi, detta i ritmi temporali, lentissimi, per attirare e infilare dentro il corpo e la mente dell’osservatore. Le visioni e sensazioni creano una reazione causa -effetto dettata dalle problematiche sociali rappresentate nude e crude: la vanità. le passioni effimere, la vulnerabilità umana. Tutte cose pericolose che possono transformarsi in tragedia allorquando si raggiunge il punto del non-ritorno: la perdita dei valori. Ecco allora che le opere di Jette consentono di riflettere come in uno specchio per ritrovare una fascinosa forza intima e la capacità di rinascere tenendo d’occhio la realtà.
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Cap. Michele Miulli
Esperto d’Arte
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Jette van der Lende is a Norwegian painter for whom the simplest objects can be as meaningful — and as startling — as a bottle washed up on a beach with a letter inside. A key found inside a drawer or some corks left on a tabletop are the artist’s starting points for journeys into ancient wisdoms. Recently, she wrote me that in Norway they say that to speak is silver but to stay silent is golden. Sometimes she uses this color symbolism, so the viewer must be cautious before leaping to conclusions. I came to know Jette van der Lende’s paintings at the Florence Biennale 2005 where they attracted a wide and favorable audience.
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John T. Spike
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Jette Van Der Lende, an artist and an illusionist, has got a great sense of magic and beauty. Actually, in his art we can stress the fluid and evocative power of the colour, which permeates the essence of all the objects painted on the canvas. In particular, his original chromatic interplay conveys a deep sensual meaning, which goes far beyond the senses, in order to make clear what the artist wants to communicate, so that it seems rather disquieting the contrast exiting among the objects, where beauty and death are tightly linked togeter. In that way the Norwegian artist shows to be able tog rasp the heterogeneous and contrasting features of contemporary sensitiveness, and consequently to create a new idea of art. Thanks to his balanced and neat graphic drawing and his absolute colours, Jette Van Der Lende is a highly motivated artist, who is much appreciated at an international level both by connoisseurs and a common audience.
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David of Michelangelo 2010 award
Riconoscimento Artistico Culturale
Con l’alto Patrocinio del Presidente della regione Puglia
Dott. Nadine Giove
Critico d’arte
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By painting portraits of common things, Jette van der Lende removes all connotations that may relate to specific people, places or times. Her show painting of a cracked egg, Life is protected, is one fine example. "Life, the yolk of an egg, can sometimes endure much and sometimes little - with only the thin eggshell as a protection," says the artist. "Life is fragile, and yet you can bear so much. As an artist you have to let yourself be vulnerable. By mirroring the revealed egg, I protect it, as I protect myself. It is the universality of these symbols and what they represent that is significant to all of us, no matter who we are...."
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American Art Collector
Nov 2022 issue 205
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The ability to loose myself into details was given me by Reidar Finsrud.
C’è nelle opera di Jette un disegno minuziosamente precisato, uno studio prospettico sapiente, un’esecuzione in punta di pennello, un approfondimento tonale piacevolmente virtuosistico.
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Andrea Diprè
Critico d’Arte
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Jette van der Lende ‘s photorealistic stillifes are intimate compositions with amazing attention to textures, surfaces, and the materiality of the objects depicted. With pristine lines and immense detail, van der Lende paints both common objects from present and past eras, and images from nature. Beautifully lit against a dark background as in a traditional portrait studio, these objects assume the elegant dignity of a carefully posed model. van der Lende worked for many years as a draftsperson in an architecture office, her interest in architecture contributing to the graphic, precise style in which she paints. Using a reflective black glass table as a backdrop for her stillifes, van der Lende takes a highly figurative approach to exploring the cubist consept of simultaneously revealing many angels of one object. Van der Lende was born in Copenhagen , Denmark , and raised in Norway . As an artist she has participated in several exhibitions and competitions in Norway and abroad.
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Press Realease from Agora Gallery Chelsea New York
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