ROLAND DEVOLDER

         Representation

ROLAND DEVOLDER was born in Ostende ( Belgium), 1938. Heir of the Flemish realist school, Devolder shares its existential concern or the liking for shadow. However,  to this blackness always respond a ray of light and a few symbolic elements.  his oils and ink drawings seem foremost to express the multiplicity of the states and the emotions that back them. Dream and realness become the same, immobilism and movement overlap, hope and implacableness complete each other. His characters, pale complexion and dark eyes just live in a world of shallow and light where suffering remain secret. The image of the fishermen in the town of Ostende is his reference point. Their faces showing the salt, sun and fear of the storms. But, these men could also be one of us. We don't have to live in a port city to know how difficult sometimes life in earth can be. The painting of a fish symbolizes this struggle more than the sea. Fish is a kind of guide . The symbolism is noticiable and obvious. Often , his painting shows us between men and beast the difference is not huge. Fears as part of our animal nature are the same. Devolder opens  a dialogue intentionally left open to any look, any reasoning, any interpretation.