Here are some personal thoughts about art. My artistic approach is provided at the end. I discovered a strong link between heart and art. The two obviously sound the same. But they share much more. Here are some observations. 

Heartist or artist?

Who can judge if you are an heartist or an artist? According to Jean Dubuffet, there is no good judge and  everyone can be an artist. If someone tells you that you are not, don't listen and simply pursue your art work. Let's never forget that heart is in everyone of us. I personally encourage you to make the best use of it. If you do art with heart, you are definitely an heartist. That's how I see it.

Heart is an approach.


A friend of mine reminded me that art is an approach. The same is true in heart, it is an attitude in life. Heart is a muscle that needs a good practice every day. The more you exercice it, the better your heart becomes. What is my heartistic approach? Let me illustrate it with an example. The heart shown here below has some interesting mathematical properties. It is made of so-called Golden rectangles. By definition, these are such that the ratio between their longest side L and their shortest side W equals the Golden number 1.618... Because of this, the line that traverses this heart cuts one rectangle in two along its diagonal and divides the longest side of the other rectangle in two segments of length W and L-W respectively. There is no need to understand this to appreciate this particular piece.  Only the observable result counts. 

Art is all about inner feelings.

People enjoy art because of the inner feelings it creates. In our heart, it can be warm as well and this is just wonderful. This is the sign of love.

Heart matters.

Both art and heart matter. It is obvious that heart is important but is it really the same for art? Some people could pretend instead that art is useless and superfluous. I personnally consider that art matters for at least 3 raisons. First, art is part of our culture, and therefore part of our identity. Second, art is a therapy. And finally, art is a wonderful demonstration of people's creativity. As a result, it becomes a great source of inspiration for our future. Did I miss anything?

Every heart is unique.

Sculptor Alfred Courtens was the brother of my grand-father. One of his sculptures, Leda, is shown on the left of the photograph here below.  In art, every creation is unique. You may think that, being heart-centric, I will soon repeat myself. I hope not. Although all my hearts share common geometric features,  there are many different parameters that I can play with. And it will take me more than a lifetime to explore them all.  In the heart sculpture below, I experimented with the use of grids.  Like in art, we all have a unique heart.

Heart makes my day.

Heart is inspiring, heart is versatile. Today, I created this lamp. Heart is fun, heart is powerful, heart keeps surprising me. Following every creation comes the discovery of the result with always the unexpected detail. This new element then becomes a source of inspiration for my next project. This is how creativity evolves in me. Heart makes my day, and the same is true with art.​

Art and heart are both journeys.

Along the way, we learn and evolve. Let today be a wonderful day and our day tomorrow be even better. 

Heart is a gift.

Heart is not something someone asks for, it is simply given to every body. We should all take good care of this wonderful gift and make the best use of it. Art is a gift as well. All children are able to create wonderful art pieces. Some people are more interested than others to develop this particular talent, but every body received it.

Heart is universal.

Heart has no frontier, it is universal. And the same is true with art.

There is a place for every heart.

Good heart, square heart, sad heart, happy heart, crazy heart, funny heart... There is a place for every heart. And the same applies to art.

Heart makes the difference.

Heart brings joy, happiness and passion. Anything done with heart is recognizable, and the same is true with art. What would life be without art? The artistic touch makes the difference by bringing special moments to our life.

Heart time is precious.

Heart moments are precious. The same is true with art. This sculpture represents 5 units of time. It's a twelfth of a ring. In other words, twelve sculptures like this can be assembled together to eventually make a ring clock. I was fortunate to find the time to work on this sculpture. It made me realize how precious art time is, just like heart time.

Heart is full of light and shadow.

The sculpture below is entitled "Infinity and beyond", it's a fractal that would be difficult to explain. The photograph was taken on a sunny day. I was particularly surprised by the shadow of the sculpture. Because of the fractal, it is quite complex. Light and shadow provide depth to art. In fact, art would be nothing without these two. Heart is full of light and shadow as well. They give depth to our life. A shadow can be hard to explain, but it comes with light. For every shadow, there is a light.

Heart plans are exciting.

Personally, I love making plans and creating a new sculpture always goes through this step. Once the plan is made, often in 2D, I can already start visualizing the result. Not all plans give what I imagined and that's ok. When you start making heart plans, it's similar. There is a lot of excitement at that stage.

Vertigo

It's hard to keep the heart at the perfect beat,  Heart can create vertigo. It comes with a weird sensation of dizziness. The head starts spinning. Art too can create vertigo. It's not always easy to keep the exiaty under control. 

Red

Heart is full of red, and art as well.

In heart, 1 plus 1 can be 3.

When two hearts meet, the result can be more than the sum of the individual hearts. In art, this can happen too. An example is shown here below. This particular sculpture shows two polyhedrons merged together. Each polyhedron is shaped like a ring and therefore contains 1 hole. But the result of the merge is a new polyhedron with 3 holes. 

Heart is never too big.

Now I imagine this huge heart in the middle of the desert. I feel small next to it and it's OK as heart is never too big. 

Half heart is heart too.

Is half an artist still an artist or not an artist? What half an artist creates, is it still art? Yes, absolutely. Half art is art too. In the same way,
half a heart is still heart and way better than no heart at all. 

Heart follows its own logic.

Sometimes people question themselves on whether they should be following their mind or their heart. Indeed, heart has its own logic. In art, it's the same. People should not try to find a meaning to everything here, as art's logic can be difficult to follow, This makes it special and that's what I personally like about it.

Heart gives us wings.

Heart and art have this in common, both give us wings to achieve the impossible. Without their support, our motivation wouldn't be the same. With their support, we are encouraged to explore further. We are very fortunate to have these two great supporters with us, always ready to help.

Heart is full of signs.

This sculpture makes use of red and green, two colors used in signage to properly orient navigators. Signs help orient our lives. Heart is the best signage for navigation as it always orient us in the right direction. The same is true with art, it is full of signs.

Heart can bring magic.

Heart is so strong that it can achieve the impossible. It's magical. Art can bring magic as well. The photograph below shows a sculpture and its shadow. Shaped like a heart, the shadow is clearly different from the sculpture. It is after having observed this kind of magic for the first time that I became an heartist.  

Heart is a perpetual discovery.

Heart is a great explorer with endless possibilities. Everyday, it can help us to discover something new. Heart is a perpetual discovery. And the same is true with art. In exploration mode, both are at their best. 

Both art and heart need balance.

The fourth chakra is the one of the heart. There are 7 chakras in total and 4 is precisely at the center between 1 and 7. The 4th chakra creates a bridge between the first 3 (i.e. the physical ones) and the last 3 (i.e. the spiritual ones). Its balance is essential. When misaligned, poor circulation can result. In art too, balance is essential for proper circulation. When a piece is magically balanced, it can be full of positive energy. This is something I am personnaly keen on.

Heart has no limit.

Just like art, heart has no limit, no boundary. An heartist is not limited to create heart-shaped sculptures. This metal sculpture consists of 3 modules assembled together: Past, Present and Future. Each module is an octahedron made of isosceles right triangles: 2 large ones and 6 small ones. For any given module, all small triangles are of same size and the large ones are twice the area of the small ones. Each octahedron of the sculpture is made of 5 plates: 1 large triangle and 4 small ones. The other 3 faces of the octahedron are left empty. The holes are to attach modules together. The large hole of a module is to attach it to its parent node. Its 2 small holes are to attach it to its leaf nodes. With such modules, a full binary tree can be constructed. The plates are assembled with wires. Using only 5 plates, each module is not that strong. Once assembled together, Past, Present and Future form a strong structure.

Heart is powerful.

Heart gives us the energy to go beyond our limits and achieve the impossible. It is extremely powerful. Art is similar. It has this extraordinary capacity of removing the boundaries of our imagination. It can place us in a world where everything is possible.  

Heart goes outside the box.

This sculpture is entitled: "Exploration outside the box". It illustrates the fact that the possibilities offered by art are endless. There is always something new, a new exploration, that leads to something different. It never stops. And the same is true with heart, its possibilities are endless. Heart has no boundaries. We can all think outside the box.

Heart is partly irrational.

Square root of 2, square root of 3 and the Golden number are well-known irrational numbers. Such numbers appear naturally everywhere, due to the laws of physics and biology. Irrational numbers are being used with much success by artists, architects and designers. They play an important role in art. In our heart, there is also a part that is irrational and, here is as well, its role is major.

Heart can be difficult to understand.

Heart can be complex and not easy to understand. This is because heart follows its own logic. Art can also be hard to capture. The sculpture below is entitled: The Origin of the Universe. In 1866. Gustave Courbet painted the Origin of the World. It took many years for people to capture the true essence of his painting. How can my abstract sculpture represent in any way the origin of the universe? Minimal effort is always required to understand something and motivation as well. Anyway, here is a quick explanation.  

Physicist Etienne Klein reminds us that the bing bang is just a name given to a mathematical singularity of Einstein’s general gravitational theory. (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDEM3lwkXyo.) Einstein's equations modelizes the expansion of the universe over time and, when applied to the past, the limit of his model leads to this singularity where the universe is of infinite temperature and of zero volume. But Einstein’s equations are not complete as there are other forces in the universe that are not taken into account in his model. The point when Einstein’s equations become physically wrong is called Planck wall. Do you follow me? My representation of the universe is a modular polyhedral sculpture. Each module represents the universe at a given time. The modules are larger and larger over time, which illustrates the expansion of the universe. All modules are made with the same square grids that represent Einstein’s equations. In my representation, a universe smaller than the grid size cannot exist. This point is equivalent to Planck wall. I hope that my explanations are sufficient for you to understand the title of my sculpture. If not, do not hesitate to contact me. It will be my pleasure to give you more details. Thank you for your reading. 

Behind every heart, there is a name.

Behind every heart, there is a person with a name. Similarly, behind every art, there is a signature that identifies the artist.  The picture below shows the detail of a sculpture (and shadow) with the signature of the heartist.

Hidden heart still exists.

Sometimes, art is hidden. It doesn't matter, as it can always reappear. In heart, it's the same. Hidden heart is never that far. It can always come back and take you by surprise as it still exists. Art can be temporarily covered with snow. Yet, it is still there, continues to exist, and this is what matters. 

Keep it simple... is good for both the heart and the art.

My heart is in search of simplicity, and my art as well. And for sure I am not the only one to think this way.
​
KISS is a well-known design principle: Keep It Simple and Stupid (or Smart).  This was already well understood by Leonardo Da Vinci. According to the literature, he considered simplicity to be the ultimate sophistication. By keeping things simple, complication and stress are avoided, and this allows to live a better life. 
On a funny note, scientists also observed that kissing is good for the heart. On the Internet, many articles mention that it helps lowering the blood pressure. That's great to know.

Heart may not be enough to make a living.

Living of art is not easy, but it is worth the effort.  To make a living from heart is not easy either. For the heartist, it's natural.

Like chocolate, heart gives pleasure.

Some people pretend that chocolate is better than sex. But not everyone likes chocolate. Nevertheless, chocolate is considered to give pleasure. The same is true with art. Some people may argue that art doesn't give pleasure.  But most people enjoy art. And the same is true with heart. It is often said that giving provides more pleasure than receiving. More or less than chocolate? It doesn't matter. Just like chocolate, both art and heart give pleasure. And here are some details about the illustration. In case you are looking for a heart there, you'll find it in my daughter Josephine who kindly accepted to wear a piece of mine. 

Art and heart both happen by chance.

Call it chance, they are many things in life that are outside our control. In art, one may think very hard about how to create a new piece, the result may not be that good until something that was not initially thought of happens by chance. In fact, the best part of the work may even come from that mistake. Yes, one needs to be fortunate in art. And in heart, it's the same. Every moment can fill our heart with the unexpected, and this will make our day.

All hearts communicate.

Listen to your heart. Both hearts and arts send messages to whom wants to listen. Art always has something to say, else it is not art. This is a rather strong judgment, I know. The picture below was taken on a sunny day. No filter was used. What you see is the exact capture of the eye of the camera: light reflections on the metal. Art needs no filter. And the same is true with heart. Today, everyone makes use of the Internet. But let's not forget that there is also a web of hearts that connects all hearts together. It is invisible yet extremely powerful. How do you connect? Communication with your heart is always on. In art too, simply leave your senses open.

Art and heart can both lead to exaggeration.

In art, when passion takes over, craziness is never far away. The same is true with heart, it can drive you crazy. Exaggeration and obsession can lead yourself to adopt strange behaviors. You want to avoid the madness and keep a healthy balance. The right part of the passion leads to full happiness, and that one comes with no limit.

Art is essential.

Who could live with no heart? Heart has a function. In fact, it is so essential that it can't stop. So, don't ever let it stop. ​Does your art beat?  This is essential.

Heart and art can both be therapeutic.

When I do art, I don't think of anything else. Heart is a therapy. 

Art and heart are both food for soul.

Art and heart have in common something essential, they both are food for soul. While thinking about this, I found on the Internet this quote from artist Amanda Palmer: "Art is food for the soul, and an artistic climate is a healthy climate because it breeds empathy." I personnally think that both heart (i.e. love) and art (i.e. creation) are food for the soul, as our soul needs plenty of both.

Heart can be anywhere.

Heart can be anywhere, and art too. The silverware on the picture below was designed in 1953 by my grand-father, architect Antoine Courtens. I love to be surrounded by art, it lights up my heart.

Art and heart both take time to develop.

Heart is the first functional organ to develop. Amazing, isn't it?  According to Wikipedia, the heart starts to beat and pump blood at around day 22. Any new piece of art also takes time to develop. Before creating a large sculpture, I will typically create it first using a material that is easy to work with. Having it in 3D allows me to observe the piece from its many different angles. I can then discover elements that I am not happy with and modify them accordingly. And at around day 22, a new piece of art might finally emerge.  

Heart is full of dreams.

Heartists work hard to accomplish their dreams. Thinking about art is a good first step. Testing an idea is a great next step. But all this is not enough. Artists work hard to make their dreams come true. The picture shows a virtual installation of a sculpture on a beautiful beach in Belgium.  At least the dream is there. In heart, it is the same. Dreams are a good first step. Yet, this is not enough. 

Every heart deserves respect.

My father loved to paint. I remember that he would share his paintings within family and friends. Sometimes he would discover one of his work placed in their bathroom. This was for him a profound mark of disrespect. Every piece of art deserves respect.

In every heart, there is a language.

Every heart has a language, with its own vocabulary. The same is true in art. It is important for every artist to develop a vocabulary. Once the alphabet is created, the artist can create words, sentences, and stories.

Heart has no value.

How much is my heart worth? Come on, this is ridiculous. I would say at least twice the price of a banana.

Heart has no rule.

Here is a quote from Robin Williams: "There are no rules. Just follow your heart."  I would add: "Just follow your art." Think of all the rules that were dictated by so-called experts, until a great artist demonstrated that they shouldn't be followed. So, just be yourself, listen to your heart and let it be your guide.
What I particularly enjoy with modular art is that its sculptural pieces can be assembled in many different ways. One can then discover the unexpected by placing the modules in a way that was never thought of originally.

Every detail counts.

I remember being in front of a white canvas with a curator. I asked her. Several artists painted white canvases,  how do you appreciate the work? She responded that the technique used for creating this particular canvas was unique, as many different layers were used. It was hard to detect but then, knowing this, I was able to see it. And it did make the difference. This is how important detail is.  
Artist friend Philippe Leblanc told me that, in geometric art, the width of each piece being assembled is important. If you don’t properly take this into account, the result won’t be satisfactory. This particular sculpture was created with this in mind. Not with the objective of reaching perfection, as this would be too drastic, but at least for achieving the right goal.
And I thought to myself, in heart too, every detail counts. 

Changes

Changes within the heart make it grow. The same is true with art. Changes are to be made at the right time to make it grow. The stripes of this sculpture represent timelines. Changes occur when the lines change direction. From left to right, following the timelines, the sculpture keeps growing, thanks to the changes.

Perfection doesn't exist

Heart is never perfect. This is the same in art.

Influencers

Art and heart are two great influencers. Remember the stripes of Buren? When I started placing stripes on my geometric modules, I couldn't stop thinking of these famous stripes. I won't be surprised if people tell me, looking at the photograph here below: "Great work, Vincent, this remind me of ..."  And this is absolutely fine. Art is a great influencer, and the same is true with heart. Simply think of the heart of the great prophets. In fact, every heart can become a great influencer. And the same is true with art.

Frontier

Heart has no frontier. In art, it's the same. Indeed, no matter where the piece of art comes from, if you love it, you love it. And no matter where the person comes from, when you are in love, you are in love.

Artistic approach

Heart is at the center of my art, it makes me vibe. Its geometry, its volume, its ability to be linked to others, its shadow and its light, all these elements make it so rich. Heart has no limit. And the more I focus on it,  the more I understand it.  And it encourages me to pursue the work, without thinking too much about it, but by just doing it.
I remember my parents saying: Vincent, no matter what you do, do it with heart.
I understood: No matter what you do, do it with art.