Deborah Nyst (°1981) lives and works in Ghent, Belgium.

She resumed her studies at the age of thirty, completing a Master’s degree in Fine Arts alongside her teacher training. For a long time, her practice centered on portraiture and domestic scenes. Working with these traditional genres, she developed a distinctive approach grounded in craftsmanship, with particular attention to the atmosphere, psychology and temporality of her subjects. This dedication to technique remains evident in her meticulous watercolors.

Following the loss of her daughter on February 1, 2023, and the profound grief that ensued, a fundamental shift emerged in her work. Such a loss offers no easy answers. Deborah found herself searching for meaning while remaining unable to accept any definitive explanation. Everything suddenly became relative: anything and perhaps nothing at all could hold significance. She discovered that even a slightly absurd sense-making can be comforting. Humor and self-relativization offer breathing space. Whilst this openness to ambiguity and unexpected associations have always been present within her portrait practice, she now carries these thoughts with her in a new visual language.

In December 2024, a renewed sense of meaning began to emerge, opening the door to this more eclectic body of work. Alongside her classical approach, abstract and surrealist influences became increasingly apparent. Her use of second-hand frames also establishes a connection with the concept object trouvé from the Dadaist movement. Existing marks and details on the frames inspire images, making the frames an integral part of the work. Additionally the back of the frame is also incorporated. In this way, the image transcends its flat, pictorial surface.

These days her subjects are deliberately arbitrary: animals, organisms, objects. The works, executed in watercolor on paper and presented behind glass, seamlessly translate the light, fragile, and transparent qualities of her visual language. The titles are sometimes humorous or poetic, other times built around a wordplay. Deborah Nyst’s work is inviting and encourages viewers to form their own associations and narratives. Above all, she cherishes the desire to bring people together and create a space for shared stories. Art, in her view, truly belongs among people — in their homes, their thoughts, and their conversations.

As Viktor Frankl stated, “Suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds meaning.“

Play and connection are my framework.
Meaning is my driving force.
And humor — that is my breath.”
— Deborah Nyst

Read a beautiful article about Deborah and her work by clicking on the link below:
https://kinderkankerfonds.be/deborah-nyst/