Harold Ancart

In its expressive application and texture, and in the mixing of pure colours directly on the canvas surface, Ancart’s use of oil stick has something of the exuberance of children’s crayon drawings. In the best spirit of illustration, his works conjure a visual world that is both irresistible and continuous.

Born in Belgium in 1980, Ancart started drawing in elementary school. For him, it was “a great way to escape the boredom of being at school without getting into trouble.” He also voraciously read comic books and manga growing up in Brussels, a city where comics are close to the hearts of many. But despite his intense interest, Ancart says he never really saw himself becoming a professional artist. “I guess I never liked the bohemian vibe that surrounded the persona of the artist,” he explains, free-associating the likes of “bread crumbs, stinky cheese, cheap red wine, poverty,” and, of course, that hallmark of artistic life: “struggle.” So after graduating from high school when he was 20 , Ancart went on to study political science at university, hoping to become a diplomat. Mercifully, this didn’t work out, and soon enough he was attending the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuel de la Cambre in Brussels to study fine arts.

Soon after graduation, his works became noticed on the Brussels art scene, which propelled him to move to New York City where his love affair with comic art continued as he devoured English-language comics like Frank Miller’s Sin City. At the same time, his career blossomed steadily. He eventually secured additional representation at Xavier Hufkens and the Los Angeles-based David Kordansky Gallery, soon followed by David Zwirner.

Works by the artist are included in the permanent collections of numerous institutions worldwide, including the Fondation Beyeler, Basel; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Lenbachhaus, Munich; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; Menil Collection, Houston; Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.