Biography
Guy Mees
Guy Mees (1935-2003) emerges as a painter in Antwerp in the late fifties, when post-war avant-garde art from the US was just beginning to find its way to Belgium. His first mature works are a series of black charcoal paintings doubling as reliefs.
Solo Exhibitions
| 2022 | Basel, Art Basel 2022,16.06—19.06.2022. |
| 2020 | Paris, Le Plan Libre, galerie Jocelyn Wolff, curated by François Piron and Fatma Chérif, France; Bremen, Guy Mees gerlach en koop - Was machen Sie um zwei? Ich schlafe., GAK, Germany (19.09.20 - 20.12.20); Antwerp, Guy Mees Solo exhibition, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (05.09.2020 - 11.10.20) |
| 2018 | Ostend, The Weather is Quiet, Cool and Soft – Guy Mees, Mu.Zee, Belgium (24.11.18 - 10.03.19); Barcelona, Guy Mees: Espace Perdu (Verloren Ruimte).Second Part, ProjecteSD, Spain ( 11.05.18 - 16.06.18) |
| 2017 | London, David Zwirner Gallery, UK (28.06.17 - 28.07.17); Paris, GB Agency, Guy Mees: Works 1960's - 1990's, France (03.06.17 - 19.07.17); Berlin, Nagel Draxier Gallery, Germany (10.03.17 - 15.04.17) |
| 2016 | Brussels, Guy Mees, Archives, Bureau des Réalité, Belgium (11.09.16 - 12.11.16); Brussels, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (09.09.16 - 22.10.16) |
| 2013 | Paris, Chez Valentin Gallery, France (16.05.13 - 16.06.13) |
| 2012 | Leuven, Focus Guy Mees, Museum M., Belgium (27.09.12 - 20.01.13); Brussels, Lost Space, the Anyspace Gallery, Belgium (25.10.12 - 24.11.12) |
| 2010 | Paris, Bernard Bouche Gallery, France |
| 2007 | Paris, Bernard Bouche Gallery, France |
| 2002 | Antwerp, Guy Mees, een overzicht, MuHKA, Belgium (31.08.02- 10.11.02); Antwerp, Video & Films, de collectie – een voorstel, MuHKA, Belgium (02.03.02-12.05.02); Leuven, STUK, Belgium |
| 2000 | Antwerp, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (21.04.00 - 27.05.00) |
| 1998 | Antwerp, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer,Belgium (30.01.98-07.03.98) |
| 1996 | Haarlem, Tanya Rumpff Gallery, The Netherlands |
| 1995 | Antwerp, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (19.05.95 - 02.07.95) |
| 1993 | Brussels, Guy Mees, werken/oeuvres 1958-1993, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Belgium (05.06.93 - 01.08.93) |
| 1990 | Antwerp, Anny De Decker, (Edition of four screenprints), Belgium (17.05.90); Waasmunster, works 1960-1974, Galerie van de Academie, Belgium (17.03.90 - 15.04.90); Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Belgium (07.09.90 - 28.10.90); Antwerp, Micheline Szwajcer Gallery, Belgium (13.09.90-06.10.90) |
| 1989 | Antwerp, Presentatie van een uitgave van Guy Mees 1969, Marc Poirier dit Caulier, Belgium (may); Liège, Galerie L'A, Belgium (08.04.89 - 29.04.89) |
| 1988 | Antwerp, Micheline Szwajcer Gallery, Belgium (06.02.88-12.03.88) |
| 1984 | Middelburg, Galerij Dam, The Netherlands (02.12.84 - 23.12.84) |
| 1983 | Ghent, Vereniging voor het Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Belgium (17.12.83 - 22.01.83) |
| 1982 | Antwerp, Micheline Szwajcer Gallery, Belgium (16.01.82 - 28.02.82) Antwerp, Michèle Lachowsky Gallery, Belgium (17.01.82 - 20.02.82); |
| 1979 | Brussels, Michèle Lachowsky Gallery, Belgium |
| 1977 | The Hague, Orez Mobile Gallery, (with Dujouri), The Netherlands; Zagreb, Galeria Nova, Croatia |
| 1976 | Brussels, Gallery Paul Lebeer/MTL, Belgium |
| 1974 | Antwerp, Gallery MTL / Art & Project, Belgium (22.10.74 - 23.11.74) |
| 1973 | Brussels, Gallery MTL (Artist Book Edition), Belgium |
| 1971 | Antwerp, Richtingsverschijnselen, Gallery Jeanne Buutaert, Belgium; Antwerp, Niveauverschillen, X-One Gallery, Belgium; |
| 1970 | Antwerp, Situation II, X-One Gallery, Belgium (23.06.70 - 27.06.70); Antwerp, Works, X-One Gallery, Belgium (15.04.70 - 16.05.70); Brussels, Gallery MTL, Belgium; Ghent, Gallery Plus-Kern, Belgium |
| 1969 | Antwerp, X-One Gallery, Belgium; Antwerp, Richtingsverschijnselen, Gallery Jeanne Buytaert, Belgium (03.05.69 - 27.06.69) (cat.) |
| 1968 | The Hague, Gallery Orez Mobiel, The Netherlands; Assenende, Margaretha de Boevé Gallery, (with an intervention by Wim Meuwissen), Belgium |
| 1966 | Antwerp, Gallery Ad Libitum, Belgium (24.9.66 - 6.10.66.) |
| 1962 | Tel Aviv, Grenchen/Solothurn, Gallery Bernard, Israël |
| 1960 | Antwerp, Gallery Ad Libitum, Belgium |
Group Exhibitions
| 2022 | Antwerp, 'Talking back to Ellsworth Kelly and Blinky Palermo: Guy Mees' cut-out horizon', 02.04—08.05.2022, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Nieuw Zuid. |
| 2022 | Namur, Le Delta 'Perspectives minimales en Belgique' ,18.02 — 16.04.2022 |
| 2021 | Bremen, 'Was machen Sie um zwei? Ich schlafe', GAK Bremen, 17.09.2020 — 27.02.2021 |
| 2020 | Antwerp, L'Heure Bleue - Part I, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (08.06.20 - 30.07.20); Antwerp, Implicit Movement, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (11.01.20-01.03.20) |
| 2019 | Bologna, Adelaide Lioni & Guy Mees: Shape, color, taste, sound and smell, P420 Arte Contemporanea, Italy (12.04.19 - 01.06.19); Antwerp, Leeway, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (11.05.19-16.06.19); Strombeek-Bever, Jacqueline Mesmaeker Enkel Zicht Naar Zee, Naar West, cultureelcentrum, Belgium (11.01.20-04.03.20); Antwerp, Looking at the world through rose colored glasses, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (19.01.19 - 03.03.19 |
| 2018 | Nottingham, The House of Fame, Nottingham Contemporary, UK (24.03.18 - 24.06.18); Antwerp, Lust, Laughter & Liquor, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (22.03.18 - 06.05.18); New York, Untitled (Monochrome), 1957-2017, Richard Taittinger Gallery, USA (01.03.18 - 27.04.18); Antwerp, Interaction, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Belgium (20.10.18 - 25.11.18) |
| 2017 | Brussels, Superdemocracy - The Senate Of Things, Bozar Centre for Fine Arts, Belgium (01.10.17 - 31.10.17) |
| 2016 | Ostend, B.Last, Mu.ZEE, Belgium (29.10.16 - 14.02.17); Antwerp, The Gap, an exhibition of selected abstract art from Belgium, MuHKA, Belgium (30.01.16 - 29.05.16) |
| 2015 | Ghent, Uit de collectie – Sol LeWitt – Kabinet 6: Ann Veronica Janssens, S.M.A.K.,Belgium (31.10.15 - 14.02.16); London, The Gap, an exhibition of selected abstract art from Belgium, Parasol Unit, UK (09.09.15 - 06.12.15) |
| 2014 | Antwerp, A whole Range of Furtively Titillating stereotypes, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (16.05.13 - 16.06.13) |
| 2013 | Antwerp, Happy Birthday Dear Academie, MAS, Belgium (08.09.13 - 26.01.14); Antwerp, BERNARD FRIZE - GUY MEES - DAAN VAN GOLDEN, gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (25.04.13 - 25.05.13) |
| 2012 | Shanghai, 50 days at sea, Antwerp Pavilion, 9th Shanghai Biennale, (cur. Philippe Pirotte), China (02.10.12 - 31.03.13); Brussels, Looking back – A video selection from the Argos collection for Contour On Tour: Video art in the Flemish Parliament, Argos, Belgium (21.03.12 - 11.07.12); Antwerp, Spirits Of Internationalism, MuHKA, Belgium (20.01.12 - 29.04.12) |
| 2011 | Maastricht, Out of Storage: Provisoire & Définitif, Marres – Centre for Contemporary Culture, The Netherlands (26.06.11 - 18.12.11); Ostend, Guy Mees, deel 2, Mu.ZEE, Belgium (12.02.11 - 06.03.11) |
| 2010 | Antwerp, Stanley Brouwn, Francois Curles, Jef Geys, Guy Mees, Michael Smith, Ann Veronica Janssens, Bernard Frize, Heimo Zobernig, Koenraad Dedobbeleer, Marthe Wéry, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (02.06.10 - 30.06.10) Zürich, Micheline chez Mai 36, Mai 36 Gallery, Suisse (16.01.10 - 27.02.10); Sérignan, Ecce Homo Ludens, Musée regional d’art contemporain Languedoc-Roussillon, France (20.06.10 - 24.10.10) |
| 2009 | Charleroi, T-Tris, un jeu de construction entre les collections de la Province de Hainaut, du Muhka et du Mudam, B.P.S.22 – Espace de Création Contemporaine, Belgium (12.09.09 - 29.11.09); Singapore, A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters From Antwerp, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore (13.08.09 - 06.09.09); Shanghai, A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters From Antwerp, Shanghai Art Museum, China (01.05.09 - 21.06.09) |
| 2008 | Vlissingen, Elementaire deeltjes, COVRA, The Netherlands; Ostend, PMMK, Belgium |
| 2007 | Machelen, 7, Roger Raveel Museum, Belgium (03.06.07 - 23.09.07); Antwerp, Een verhaal van het beeld/ A story of the image, MuHKA, Belgium (31.05.07 - 19.08.07); Leuven, Silent Revolutions, Expo Tweebronnen, Belgium |
| 2006 | Antwerp, Discontinuous, Drawing lines from and to the work of Guy Mees, Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (08.09.06 - 14.10.06) |
| 2005 | Rotterdam, Monopolis – Antwerpen, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, The Netherlands (10.09.05 - 06.11.05); Antwerp, Collectiepresentatie XI – zomer 2005, de Zomer van Middelburg, MuHKA, Belgium (04.06.05 - 14.08.05) |
| 2004 | Antwerp, Dear ICC – Aspects of contemporary art in Belgium 1970-1985, MuHKA, Belgium (18.12.04 - 27.02.05); Antwerp, Dedicated to a Proposition, Extra City Kunsthal, Belgium (24.11.04 - 20.02.05); Antwerp, Stanley Brouwn, Francois Curlet, Anne Daems, Wim Delvoye, Jef Geys, Carsten Höller, Ann Veronica Janssens, On Kawara, Mark Luyten, Guy Mees, Allen Ruppersberg, Joe Scanlan, Charles-Daniel Schreiber, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (01.06.04 - 31.06.04); Liège, Papiers divers & Dérivés, Gallery Nadia Vilenne, (12.04.04 - 01.05.04) |
| 2003 | Antwerp, Collectiepresentatie VI – winter 2003-2004, MuHKA, Belgium (03.11.03 - 15.02.04); Gent, Gelijk het leven is: Belgische kunst uit de collectie van het S.M.A.K., S.M.A.K, Belgium (28.06.03 - 14.09.03) Antwerp, Collectiepresentatie IV – zomer 2003, MuHKA, Belgium (31.05.03 - 17.08.03) |
| 2002 | Antwerp, Exile on Main Street, N.I.C.C., Belgium (10.06.02 - 15.09.02); Leuven, S.T.U.C., Belgium; Liège, Spring, Anne Daems, Guy Mees, Gauthier Hubert, Honoré d’O, Orla Barry, Sylvie Macias-Diaz, Ann Veronica Janssens, Suchan Kinoshita, Gallery Nadja Vilenne, Belgium (05.02 - 09.02) |
| 2001 | Antwerp, David Claerbout, Wim Delvoye, Alicia Framis, Bernard Frize, Daan Van Golden, Ann Veronica Janssens, Mark Luyten, Guy Mees, Marthe Wéry, Christopher Wool, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (07.12.01 - 19.01.02); Brussels, Ici & maintenant / Hier & nu, Ancien Entrepot Royal Tour & Taxis (cur. By Laurent Jacob), Belgium |
| 1999 | Grenoble, La consolation, MAGASIN – Centre National d’art Contemporain de Grenoble, France; Antwerp, Trouble spot – painting, MuHKA, Belgium (08.05.99 - 22.08.99); Antwerp, Anne Daems, J.P. Deridder, Douglas Gordon, Mark Luyten, Guy Mees, Joe Scanlan, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (16.04.99 - 22.05.99); Sittard, Tegenvleug/A rebousse-poil, Kunstcentrum Sittard, The Netherlands |
| 1998 | La Louvière, Un siècle de collage en Belgique, Centre de la Gravure et de l’Image imprimée, Belgium (25.09.98 - 13.12.98) |
| 1993 | Antwerp, Corners Filled With What Is Swept Into Corners, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (02.07.93 - 07.08.93); Brussels, Kunst in België na 1980, Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Belgium (05.03.93 – 30.05.93) (cat.); Deurle, Betekende Ruimte II. Plaats van handeling, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Belgium (02.05.93 - 04.07.93) |
| 1992 | The Hague, Antwerp invited in The Hague, Galerie Nouvelles Images (with Anselmo, Buren, Graham, Janssens, Luyten, Swennen, Wéry), The Netherlands (11.07.92 – 26.08.92); Antwerp, Harald Klingelhöller, Guy Mees, Richard Prince, Robert Therrien, Gallery Micheline Szwajcer, Belgium (28.02.92 – 04.04.92) |
| 1991 | Antwerp, Kunst in Vlaanderen, Nu, MuHKA, Belgium (14.12.91 – 26.01.92) (cat.) |
| 1989 | Brussels, Antwerpen-Brussel, Aller-Retour, Bourréstraat 13 (with Lohaus, Somerlinck, Van Snick, Rommens), Belgium (cat.) |
| 1988 | Antwerp, De Verzameling I, MuHKA, Belgium (20.02.88 - 29.03.88) |
| 1987 | Lille, Quai du Wault, (with Van Snick, Geys, Lohaus),Belgium; Liège, Lieu, Ancienne Linière,(with Haynes, Lohaus, Huyge, Klenes, Angeli…), Belgium (October) (cat.) |
| 1986 | Antwerp, Antwerpen – Brussel, Aller-Retour, Winkelgalerij Torengebouw Schoenmarkt-Eiermarkt, (with Van Snick, Lohaus, Rommens, Somerlinck), Belgium (15.03.86 – 12.04.86); Ghent, Initiatif d’Amis, Vooruit, Belgium (cat.) |
| 1984 | Ghent, Video art in Belgium 1970-1977, S.M.A.K., Belgium (14.01.84 - 26.02.84) |
| 1982 | Oudenaarde, Maagdendale (with Charlier, Dujourie, Geys, Lohaus, Panamarenko, Vercruysse, Vermeiren), Belgium (08.05.82 - 23.05.82) |
| 1981 | Ieper, Kunst in/Als Vraag, van Dada tot heden, negatie – integratie, Provinciaal Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Lakenhalle, Belgium (01.08.81 – 10.09.81) (cat.) Antwerp, Naar en in het landschap, ICC, (13.06.81 – 19.09.81), Belgium (cat.) |
| 1979 | Ghent, The sixties – Art in Belgium, S.M.A.K., Belgium (22.06.79 - 26.08.79) |
| 1977 | Antwerp, Magasins & Entrepots Reunis De Klok, (with Charlier, Dujourie, Jozefstein, Lohaus, Van Snick, Vercruysse, Wéry), Belgium (12.06.77 – 29.06.77); Antwerp, Open vergadering/Assemblée, Noorderterras, Jordaenskaai (with Dujourie, Vercruysse) (opening: 03.09.77); Antwerp, Voorstelling van een (de) kunstenaar. (5.3) – Voorstelling van een (de) plaats. (20.3), Raapstraat 8 (with Dujourie, Vercruysse) Belgium |
| 1976 | New York, An Exhibition of Belgian Art organized by MTL, Fine Arts Building (with Broodthaers, Charlier, Geys), USA |
| 1975 | Antwerp, Lange Lozanastraat 185b, (with Charlier, De Boeck, Dujourie, Roquet), Belgium (11.12.75 – 20.12.75); Aachen, Belgiën: Junge Kuenstler I, Neue Galerie Sammlung Ludwig, Germany (cat.); Buenos Aires, Fourth International Optic Encounter on Video, CYAC, Argentina (31.10.75 – 14.11.75) (cat.) |
| 1974 | Bruges, The Third Triennial, (project refused) (cat.); Oxford, Museum of Modern Art, (with Charlier, Lohaus, Panamarenko, Roquet, Van Snick) (30.06.74 – 04.08.74) (cat.) |
| 1973 | Brussels, Belgische Avant-Garde/Avant-Garde Belge, Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, (with Broodthaers, Charlier, Geys, Lohaus, Panamarenko, Roquet) (25.05.73 – 24.06.73), Belgium (cat.) |
| 1972 | Brussels/Antwerp, Kunstwerken verworven door de Staat 1970/1971, Paleis voor Schone Kunsten (09.03.72 – 31.03.72), Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Belgium (15.04.72 – 07.05.72) (cat.) |
| 1971 | Antwerp, X-One Gallery, (with L. Jozefstein), Belgium (17.02.71 – 25.02.71); Dendermonde, Concepten, Celbeton, (with Desmet, Dujourie, Buren), Belgium (10.01.71 – 04.02.71); Bruges, The Second Triennial, Belgium (cat.); Paris, Paris Biennale (with Jacques Charlier, Bernd Lohaus, Leo Josefstein, Walter Swennen, Panamarenko), France |
| 1970 | Ghent, Art by designers – Design by artists, gallery Plus Kern, (in ‘Interieur 70’; Internationale biënale voor binnenhuis – inrichting, Hallen, Kortrijk), Belgium (17.10.70 – 25.10.70); Antwerp, Gevisualiseerde denkprocessen: werken – plannen – projecten – documenten, X-One Gallery, (with Camesi, Raetz, Hemsworth, Arnatt), Belgium (13.10.70) |
| 1969 | Ghent, 223 m3, gallery Plus Kern, Belgium (16.09.69 – 26.10.69) |
| 1968 | Bruges, First Triennial, Belgium (cat.) |
| 1967 | Ghent, Facetten van de jonge Vlaamse kunst 3 – objecten en constructieve kunst, Provinciaal begijnhof , Belgium; Hasselt/Koninklijke Academie Antwerpen/Sint-Pieters-abdij, Belgium (cat.); Antwerp, Wide White Space Gallery, (with Arakawa, Arman, Beuys, Broodthaers, Christo, Engels, Flavin, Fontana, Gilardi, Graubner, Heyrman, Klein, Manzoni, Palermo, Panamarenko, Richter, Spoerri, Vasarely), Belgium (June) |
| 1966 | Amsterdam, Microzero, Gallery De Bezige Bij, The Netherlands |
| 1965 | Milano, ZERO Avantgarde, Atelier Fontana, Italy; Genève, Nouvelles Tendances Flamandes, Musée Rath, Suisse (27.03.65-21.05.65) (cat.) |
| 1963 | Ghent, Forum ’63, Sint-Pietersabdij, Belgium (01.06.63 – 04.08.63) (cat.); Frankfurt am Main, Europaïsche Avantgarde, Schwanzhalle, Germany (cat.); Bochum, Profile II: Belgische Kunst heute, Städtische Kunstgalerie, Germany (21.04.63 – 19.05.63) (cat.) |
| 1962 | Ghent, Forum ’62, Sint-Pietersabdij, Belgium (05.05.62 – 03.06.62) (cat.) |
| 1961 | Ghent, Forum ’61, Sint-Pietersabdij, Belgium (cat.) |
| 1960 | Antwerp, De Nieuwe Vlaamse School, CAW, (signing of manifesto together with Dries, Gentils, Van Anderlecht, Vandenbranden, Verheyen), Belgium Antwerp, Galerie Ad Libitum, Belgium |
| 1959 | Milan, Nuove Tendenze Belgi, Galleria Pagani del Grattacielo (with Dries, Van Anderlecht, Vandenbranden, Gentils, Van Severen, Verstockt, Verheyen), Italy (February) |