“A young, very human face, an exuberant, even overflowing vitality; instinctive and reasonable, enthusiastic and thoughtful, earthy and celestial, feeling the need to radiate a generous goodness and affirm his personality in the direction of aesthetic, spiritual and moral efforts.
These are some of the characteristics of Pol Fraiture.
André Malraux
Pol Fraiture was born in Brussels on December 17, 1946. He started painting at a young age and won several competitions by the age of 13. At 19, he held his first exhibition in a gallery in Namur. From 1966 onwards, his works were regularly exhibited in cities like Brussels, Paris, Geneva, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Namur, Damme, Knokke, Bandol, Nassau, and even in the United States. In 1975, he was awarded the Gold Medal at the Grand Jury Prize, the Silver Medal at the Grand Press Prize, and the Silver Medal at the Grand Public Prize for "Art for All." His exhibitions in Geneva (1976 and 1978) and in Paris (1980 and 1981) were held under the auspices of the Belgian Consulate General and the Belgian Embassy. Pol Fraiture passed away in Brussels on November 8, 1981.
Pol Fraiture’s painting reveals a hidden world that gradually unfolds as one approaches. To distinguish the subject from the background, he developed a technique over the years for his oil paintings.
Starting with a base layer spread over the canvas, he created the drawing by applying colors according to his inspiration.
Then, by carving into the superimposed layers, he defined the forms that constitute the subject of the painting. He would engrave his motif into the fresh paint, allowing other colors to appear in the fine lines, creating a striking contrast. The canvas seems to be illuminated from within.
“My paintings are a journey of exploration. I do not start from forms, supports of images, to achieve a harmony of forms and colors, but I let myself be carried away by the world of colors with its richness of shades and tones. While in a waking state, the conscious mind is solicited by the universe of external sensations; my painting allows me to penetrate into the depth of this forest of unsuspected riches that are colors. They become the true source of forms that emerge from my deep self. The forms I feel there are born in me as representations. It is a whole universe of sensations that is revealed to me, which the world of forms often hides. I live a waking dream.
I neglect the representation of forms brought by the senses—the conscious self—and enter into the unreality of color harmonies—the unconscious self. I then discover that things are there without represented forms. I have left the exteriority brought by my senses and intellect and approach the interiority of the secret world of the deep self. The world of mental images becomes in my paintings the very reality.
To discover in my paintings the inner life of the world of colors, it is important to take time when viewing them. If I still resort to the graphic use of certain forms (landscapes, vegetation, flowers…), it is to facilitate communication with the viewer and to lead more people to discover for themselves this hidden world of color.”
— Pol Fraiture
Brussels:
• Academy of Fine Arts: Decorative Arts, Drawing, Graphic Arts (High Distinction)
Paris:
• Beaux-Arts: Art History