FIVE QUESTIONS… AND ONE BONUS – Meet Tristan Jon, painter

Music, movement, Brussels and the poetry of blur: painter Tristan Jon talks about the art forms that move him, the role of Instagram in his practice, and his dream of exhibiting in the Belgian capital.

Of all the arts, which one do you prefer?

I imagine people expect me to answer painting… but it is music that can have the greatest effect on me. Rhythm and power. I draw on it in my painting; I paint while listening to music, and the two “rhythms” are connected! When I work, my movements are very strong, almost like a dance. I mainly listen to rock music, but I also sometimes listen to Beethoven. It was love at first sight. Rock also reconnects, in my view, with the complexity of his symphonic music. In any case, it captures my attention through its energy. I would like to mention Queen as a concrete example, for the inventiveness and power of their music during their operetta period.

Mémoire dans la peau IV (140 x 170 cm, huile sur toile, 2026)

Painting: you have created an Instagram account for your paintings and your work. Can you tell us more?

On social media, I share an energy. It is more than content; it is my “shop window”. Of course, the work itself has to follow, as does the response. A profile is also like an archive that needs to be kept alive: I do not forget that Instagram has to keep moving. Showing your paintings is not something you can improvise. I have an editorial line: you can clearly see my work evolving there. It is also possible to create beneficial collaborations with a gallery or a magazine. You have to take an interest in it; it is a gateway for curious people who want to discover my work.

Is life in Brussels active or passive for you, given that you also live in Paris?

Brussels has a permanent charm: it is versatility par excellence. If I want to, I can be active in the morning and passive in the evening, simply because I feel like relaxing. Everything in this city breathes a form of diverse outlook that, by definition, cannot be put into a single box. That is the whole point of living in a city, in my view, but Brussels has this particularity: it does not impose a single, uniform way of life. I come across everything when I walk around. Even when I was a child, there was this atmosphere that was both provincial and relaxed, especially around Boulevard Lambermont and Josaphat Park. Paris is different. It tends to discipline us. Paris produces… Parisians!

Promesse de l’aube (30 x 40 cm, huile sur toile, 2026)

What do you dream of in order to be happy?

I am often in a dream world. But reality also has plenty to seduce me. Painting makes me truly happy. Sometimes, I wish time would stop so that I could paint endlessly, without worrying about what is around me or about practical constraints. Like a moment of grace. I would consider a major exhibition right in the heart of Brussels an achievement. Like a new lover whom you must always win over again, always rediscover. The dream is to dream that it becomes reality.

What are your favourite book, music and visual artist?

I would say that certain works have particularly marked me, without necessarily saying that they are my favourite works. I have a particular attachment to Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar. When I was a child, The Character of Rain by Amélie Nothomb gave me a taste for reading. In music, unsurprisingly, Queen’s album A Night at the Opera represents, for me, the very best that rock music has to offer. This album deeply marked me. Not only is it musically highly accomplished, but it also pays tribute to several human and musical sensibilities. It is a fascinating display of talent.

What question would you have liked me to ask?

When I think about it, perhaps a technical question about the way I paint—but ultimately, it is better to keep that secret. Still, if I had to express it in one sentence, I would say that my technique pays tribute to blur.

contact@tristanjon.com

Interview by : Nicolas Arquin

KET Magazine is a community‑driven, non‑profit magazine run by volunteers and based in Brussels. You can find our other music and nightlife stories on ket.brussels, and you can always write to us to share your projects or pitch a story: info@ket.brussels