Ann Veronica Janssens

Born in 1956 in Folkestone (United Kingdom), ANN VERONICA JANSSENS lives and works in Brussels (Belgium). Since the late 1970s Ann Veronica Janssens develops an experimental work that emphasizes in situ installations and the use of very simple or intangible materials, such as light, sound or artificial fog. The observer is confronted with the perception of the “elusive” and a fleeting experience where it crosses the threshold of clear and controlled vision, it is an experience of loss of control, instability, fragility whether visual, physical, temporal or psychological. Kamel Mennour and Ann Veronica Janssens have been working together since 2012.

Her work has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions: in 2020 at the South London Gallery in London (UK) and at the Louisiana Museum in Humlebæk (DK), in 2018 at the De Pont Foundation in Tilburg (NL), at the Kiasma Museum in Helsinki (FL), at the Baltimore Museum of Art (USA), in 2017 at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Villeurbanne (France), at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas (USA) in 2016 and at the SMAK in Ghent (B) in 2015.

In 2003, she participated in the exhibition “Aux origines de l’abstraction. 1800-1914” with the proposal Red 106 - Blue 132. In 1999, she represented Belgium at the 45th Venice Biennale with Michel François and her work has been part of many other international biennials such as Manifesta 10, St Petersburg, UK (2014); 18th Sydney Biennale, AUS (2012) ; Manifesta 8, Murcia (2011); 5th Seoul International Media Art Biennial, KR (2006); 11th Sydney Biennial, AUS (1998); 5th Istanbul International Biennial, TR (1997) and 22nd São Paulo International Biennial, BR (1994).

She has also collaborated on several occasions with choreographers such as Pierre Droulers and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Since 2009, she has also initiated with Nathalie Ergino the “Brain Space Laboratory” of the Institute of Contemporary Art of Villeurbanne, an interdisciplinary project that brings together the reflections and experiences of artists and scientists.

Since 1985, she has participated in major group exhibitions such as “Shifting Spaces”, Hayward Gallery, London, UK, “Le musée absent” in Wiels, Brussels, B (2017), “Illumination” at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, DK (2016); “Another Minimalism” at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, GB (2015) ; “Zehn Räume Drei Loggien und Ein Saal” at the Sprengel Museum, Hanover, DE (2015); “Simple Forms” at the Centre Pompidou Metz, FR and the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, J, (2014); “Light Show” at the Hayward Gallery, London, UK, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Sydney, AU and the Sharjah Art Foundation UAE (2013); “Dynamo. Un siècle de lumière et de mouvement dans l’art 1913-2013” at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, FR (2013); “Fruits de la Passion” at the Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR (2012); “unExhibit” at the Generali Foundation, Vienna, AT (2011); “Universal Code” at The Power Plant - Contemporary Art Gallery, Ontario, CA (2009); “Ecstasy, In And About Altered States” at MOCA, Los Angeles, USA (2005); “Natuurlijk” at the Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo NL (2002); “Stimuli” at the Witte de With and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, NL (1999).

The artist’s future projects include in the spring of 2022, and at the invitation of the Centre des monuments nationaux, the conception of a monumental work - 23:56:04 - for the Panthéon in Paris, and in the spring of 2023 a solo exhibition at the Pirelli HangarBicocca Foundation in Milan.