Catalog published on the occasion of the solo-exhibition of Johan Creten
"Naked Roots / Naakte Wortels"
at the Beelden aan Zee Museum in The Hague

"‘FLEMISH ARTIST CARVES A NICHE IN CLAY’ proclaimed The New York Times in a 2013 headline. Johan Creten had succeeded in taking ceramics out of the artisanal sphere, thereby earning the distinction of being placed at the forefront of contemporary art by the newspaper’s critic. This is a development that has been long in the making. Indeed, as long ago as the eighties Creten started using ceramics in a highly original fashion, producing works with a conceptual base that has meanwhile also inspired a younger generation of artists. To him, clay is no longer the stepchild but, rather, a serious material with endless new artistic possibilities. Nor is it his only medium. He also uses other techniques and materials. Referring to artists such as Philip Guston (1913–1980) and Sigmar Polke (1941–2010) he said: ‘I am free. I can tell my story in many different ways. Sometimes very figurative and narrative, sometimes abstract, or sometimes a monumental piece with next to it a jewel or a costume for a theatrical production’. Creten has more than one string to his bow; there is no such thing as a typical ‘Creten sculpture’. Notions like ‘postmodern’ or ‘eclectic’ do not adequately describe his work, either; it is too diverse for that, and often also too personal."

Joost Bergman in "Naked Roots", 2018