The Red Communion Painting

Charlene Vanneste (b. France) is of French Indonesian origin, specifically North Sumatran. Her bloodline leads back to the early Batak settlers from mainland Asia. Raised in France with a Western upbringing, Vanneste has more recently returned to her roots in Indonesia where her art studio now resides. Charlene began her artistic journey in the South of France from a very young age. She enrolled in classical and interpretive dance classes feeling a strong need to express herself through movement. As a child she also found languages interesting and often wondered how a universal language could be developed to connect all people. In recent years Charlene has revisited this concept which is present in her trademark style. Art became a channel for Charlene to explore her subconscious and open an inner door, allowing her ideas to flow onto canvas. Using art to learn about herself and explore concepts beyond the realm of common understanding. A diverse artist, Charlene has immersed in a wide range of mediums including street art, sculpting and painting using acrylic, spray paints and specialised oils to digital graphic art to ceramic mosaics displayed on Villa Cala Jondal Towers in Ibiza. Often spending months conjuring a single work her artistic process involves writing, sketching and research, which often consumes her completely. After moving from Spain to Monaco in 2010 Charlene began refining her own signature style using captivating figures, shapes and symbols. Following this rebirth she became recognised as a frisky artist-insurgent who intentionally works irregularities and provocations into her oeuvre. She reduces her figurative depictions of people, places and patterns into slick symbols using subversive messaging in clever and cryptic ways. Her exotic combos of freestyle typography with monochrome/multicoloured mash-ups make for a powerful showcase. Private collectors have recognised her as a rising star in the art world. Vanneste has exhibited around the world and her artworks are held in private collections in Indonesia, China, London, Istanbul, France and the United States. Her more recent noteworthy exhibitions include Art Basel Miami, a solo show on Bowery street, New York hosted by Parasol Projects, and a group show at the HG Contemporary gallery hosted by Philippe Hoerle-Guggenheim .