Joëlle Dubois

In Rekindling, Joëlle Dubois (b. 1990, Ghent) presents a selection of key works from private collections, alongside a series of new paintings, drawings, sculptures, and a video installation — her striking first exploration of the video medium, created in collaboration with Florinda Ciucio.

Dubois is known for her vibrant, approachable paintings that sharply explore the role of the modern individual in an increasingly individualistic world. Her work often delves into themes of gender, femininity, sexuality, diversity, and fetishism.

In her recent practice, a more introspective tone emerges. Memory, grief, loss, and the search for solace take center stage. Where earlier works were defined by vivid colors and sensual imagery, this new body of work adopts a more muted palette and restrained compositions. It marks a deeply personal chapter, reflecting on the loss of her mother and the mourning process that followed. The gradual fading — and eventual loss — of identity and selfhood runs as a poignant thread through the exhibition.

The title Rekindling speaks to the reigniting of emotion, a spark of connection in the face of what might otherwise fade. With it, Dubois returns to the core of human care and connection — to what remains when memories begin to slip away.

A new publication on her work, published by Hannibal Books, will accompany the exhibition.

• Curator: Patrick Ronse
• Thanks to Keteleer Gallery, Antwerpen