Born in 1975, An Selen is a Belgian artist based in Schilde, near Antwerp. She studied interior architecture at the Henri van de Velde Institute in Antwerp, where she developed a lasting sensitivity to proportion, space and the clarity of reduced form. The work of architects including Mies van der Rohe, Luis Barragan, Tadao Ando and Frank Lloyd Wright shaped her understanding of how material, light and restraint can create atmosphere. This architectural foundation continues to inform her wall-based practice.
An Selen began making autonomous work in 1999. For twelve years, she also worked with international project developers on high-end architectural and interior projects in locations including Courchevel, Mougins, Marbella, Milan, the Hamptons, the Seychelles, Barbados, China and Dubai. These contexts sharpened her attention to how an artwork inhabits a room. Selen's pieces are not conceived as decoration added to a finished space. They are quiet architectural presences, responsive to scale, surface, light and the movement of the viewer.
Her organic wall works are made primarily with lightweight concrete panels and natural pigments. The surfaces are built through layers, abrasion and subtle tonal changes that recall weathered walls, mineral deposits, rust, cracks and the traces left by time. Selen is drawn to old things because their marks reveal use and duration. Scrapes, dents and imperfections are not corrected; they become the work's character. Through a controlled process, she creates surfaces that feel as though they have evolved rather than been manufactured.
Minimalism in An Selen's practice is not synonymous with perfection. It is a way of removing what is unnecessary so that material presence can become more intense. Her works balance precision with irregularity, and stillness with the suggestion of slow transformation. Their muted, earthy character offers an alternative to the smoothness and speed of contemporary visual culture. In this sense, Selen's work acts as an antidote to a consumption-driven world, directing attention toward imperfection, durability and the beauty of what has already lived.
An Selen's work moves between art, architecture and collectible design. NewHouse Gallery presents her practice in Amsterdam. Browse available works by An Selen and explore her exhibition history.