Guy Mees

Biography

°1935, Mechelen, BE
+2003, Antwerp, BE

The works of Guy Mees not only break out of the frame, they break out of any possible
demarcation of an aesthetic experience, of the distinction between work and environment,
form and light. Mees broke open every obstruction and every preconception concerning the space where a painting begins and ends, and the intense, liberating coloured strips of paper that he assembled into movements, rhythms, bulges or furrows in a plane, are still among the highlights of contemporary art.

Mees' work can be found in the collection of M HKA Museum of Contemporary Art (Antwerp), Palais des Beaux Arts (Brussels), Mu.ZEE (Ostend), Kunsthalle Wien (Vienna), Museum M (Leuven), Roger Raveel Museum (Zulte), S.M.A.K. (Ghent), Vlaamse Gemeenschap, and Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven).

The estate of Guy Mees is represented by Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Daniel Marzona, and Gallery Ronny Van de Velde.

www.guymees.com

°1935, Mechelen, BE
+2003, Antwerp, BE

The works of Guy Mees not only break out of the frame, they break out of any possible
demarcation of an aesthetic experience, of the distinction between work and environment,
form and light. Mees broke open every obstruction and every preconception concerning the space where a painting begins and ends, and the intense, liberating coloured strips of paper that he assembled into movements, rhythms, bulges or furrows in a plane, are still among the highlights of contemporary art.

Mees' work can be found in the collection of M HKA Museum of Contemporary Art (Antwerp), Palais des Beaux Arts (Brussels), Mu.ZEE (Ostend), Kunsthalle Wien (Vienna), Museum M (Leuven), Roger Raveel Museum (Zulte), S.M.A.K. (Ghent), Vlaamse Gemeenschap, and Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven).

The estate of Guy Mees is represented by Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Daniel Marzona, and Gallery Ronny Van de Velde.

www.guymees.com

Solo exhibitions

2022

Art Basel, solo booth with Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Basel, CH

2020

'Le Plan Libre', curated by François Piron and Fatma Chérif, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, FR
'Guy Mees Solo exhibition', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE

2018

'The Weather is Quiet, Cool and Soft - Guy Mees', Mu.Zee, Oostende, BE
'Guy Mees. The Weather is Quiet, Cool and Soft', Kunsthalle Wien, Karlsplatz, DE
'Guy Mees, Espace Perdu_Chapter 1', ProjecteSD, Barcelona, ES

2017

David Zwirner, London, UK
'Works 1960-1980', gb agency, Paris, FR
Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE
Galerie Nagel Draxler, Berlin, DE

2016

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Brussels, BE
'Archives', Bureau de Réalités, Brussels, BE

2013

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

2012

'Lost Space', the Anyspace Gallery, Brussels, BE
'Focus Guy Mees', Museum M, Leuven, BE

2007

Galerie Bernard Bouche, Paris, FR

2002

'Guy Mees, een overzicht', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE

2000

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

2000

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1996

Galerie Tanya Rumpff, Haarlem, NL

1995

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1993

Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, BE

1990

Edition of four screenprints, Anny De Decker, Antwerp, BE
Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, BE
Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1989

'Guy Mees 1989', edition by Marc Poirier, Antwerp, BE
Galerie L'A, Liege, BE
Galerie van de Akademie van Waasmunster, Waasmunster, BE

1988

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1985

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1984

Galerie Dam, Middelburg, NL

1983

Vereniging voor het Museum van Hedendagse Kunst Gent, Ghent, BE

1982

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1979

Galerie Michele Lachowsky, Brussels, BE

1977

Galerie Orez Mobile, Den Haag, NL
Galerie Nova, Zagreb, HR

1974

MTL-Art in Project, Antwerp, BE
MTL, Brussels, BE

1973

MTL, Brussels, BE

1971

Galerie X-One, Antwerp, BE
'Richtingsverschijnselen', Galerie Jeanne Buytaert, Antwerp, BE

1970

Galerie X-One, Antwerp, BE
MTL, Brussels, BE

1969

Galerie X-One, Antwerp, BE

1968

Galerie Orez, Den Haag, NL

1966

Galerie Ad Libitum, Antwerp, BE

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022

'Talking back to Ellsworth Kelly and Blinky Palermo: Guy Mees' cut-out horizon', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE
'Perspectives minimales en Belgique', Le Delta, Namur, BE
'Taste of Abstraction, Galerie Valérie Bach, Brussels, BE

2021

'Was machen Sie um zwei? Ich schlafe', GAK Bremen, Bremen, DE

2020

'L'heure bleue', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde & PLUS-ONE Gallery, Antwerp, BE
'Implicit Movement', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE
'1973-1974: BELGISCHE AVANT-GARDE IN BRUSSEL EN OXFORD', CC Strombeek-Gent, BE
'Le Plan Libre – 1st Chapter', Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, FR
'Was machen Sie um zwei? Ich schlafe', GAK, Bremen, DE

2019

'Leeway', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE

2019

'The Bare Necessity', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE

2018

'Interaction', Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE

2016

'B-Last', Mu.ZEE, Ostend, BE
'The Gap, an exhibition of selected abstract art from Belgium', MuKHA, Antwerp, BE

2015

'The Gap, an exhibition of selected abstract art from Belgium', Parasol Unit, London, UK

2013

'Collectiepresentatie VI - winter 2003-2004', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE
'Collectiepresentatie IV - zomer 2003', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE

2012

'Looking back - A video selection from the Argos collection for Contour On Tour: Video art in the Flemish Parliament', Argos, Brussels, BE
'Spirits Of Internationalism', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE
'50 days at sea', Antwerp Pavilion, 9th Shanghai Biennale, curated by Philippe Pirotte, Shanghai, CN

2011

'Guy Mees, deel 2', Mu.ZEE, Ostend, BE
'Out of Storage: Provisoire & Définitif', Marres - Centre for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht, NL

2010

'Stanley Brouwn / Francois Curlet / Jef Geys / Guy Mees / Michael Smith / Ann Veronica Janssens / Bernard Frize / Heimo Zobernig / Koenraad Dedobbeleer / Marthe Wéry', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE
'Micheline chez Mai 36', Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich, CH
'Ecce Homo Ludens', Musée régional d’art contemporain Languedoc-Roussilon, Sérignan, FR

2009

'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, Charleroi, BE
'A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters From Antwerp', National Museum of Singapore, SG / Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, CN

2008

PMMK, Ostend, BE
'Elementaire deeltjes', COVRA, Vlissingen, NL

2007

'7', Roger Raveel Museum, Machelen, BE
'Silent Revolutions', Expo Tweebronnen, Leuven, BE
'Een verhaal van het beeld / A story of the image', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE

2005

'Monopolis - Antwerpen', Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, NL
'Collectiepresentatie XI - zomer 2005, de Zomer van Middelburg', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE

2004

'Dear ICC - Aspects of contemporary art in Belgium 1970-1985', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE
'Papiers divers & Dérivés', Galerie Nadja Vilenne, Liège, BE
'Dedicated to a Proposition', Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp, BE
'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', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

2002

'Exile on Main Street', N.I.C.C., Antwerp, BE
'Spring: Anne Daems, Guy Mees, Gauthier Hubert, Honoré d’o, Orla Barry, Sylvie Macias-Diaz, 
Ann Veronica Janssens, Suchan Kinoshita', Galerie Nadja Vilenne, Liege, BE
'Video & films, de collectie – een voorstel', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE
S.T.U.C., Leuven, BE

2001

'Ici & maintenant / Hier & nu', Ancien Entrepot Royal Tour & Taxis (cur. by Laurent Jacob), Brussels, BE
'David Claerbout, Wim Delvoye, Alicia Framis, Bernard Frize, Daan Van Golden, Ann Veronica Janssens, Mark Luyten, Guy Mees, Marthe Wéry, Christopher Wool', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1999

'Tegenvleug/A rebrousse-poil', Kunstcentrum Sittard, NL
'Trouble spot – painting', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE
'Anne Daems / J.P. Deridder / Douglas Gordon / Mark Luyten / Guy Mees / Joe Scanlan', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE
'La consolation', MAGASIN - Centre National d’art Contemporain de Grenoble, Grenoble, FR

1998

'Un siècle de collage en Belgique', Centre de la Gravure et de l'Image imprimée, La Louvière, BE

1993

'Kunst in België na 1980 / L'art en Belgique depuis 1980', Musée d'Art Moderne, Brussels, BE
'Betekende Ruimte II. Plaats van handeling', Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, BE

1992

'Corners Filled With What Is Swept Into Corners', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE
'Harald Klingelhöller / Guy Mees / Richard Prince / Robert Therrien', Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE

1988

'De Verzameling I', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE

1984

'Video art in Belgium 1970-1977', SMAK, Ghent, BE

1981

'Naar en in het landschap', ICC, Antwerp, BE

1979

'The sixties - Art in Belgium', SMAK, Ghent, BE

1974

Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, UK

1973

'Belgische Avant-Garde / Avant-Garde Belge', Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, BE

1967

Wide White Space Gallery, Antwerp, BE

Bibliography

2019

Guy Mees, The Lost Space
Published by Mu.ZEE

2018

Guy Mees, The Weather is Quiet, Cool and Soft
Published by Kunsthalle Wien, Mu.ZEE Oostende & Sternberg Press

2002

Guy Mees
Published by Ludion

1993

Guy Mees
Published by Palais des Beaux-arts de Bruxelles

Artworks

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1990
orange paper clippings
56 x 114 cm

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1974
gold colored paper and green metallic paper clippings
225 x 50 cm

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1987
grey, blue and purple paper clippings
220 x 50 cm

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1991
orange, light pink, yellow and black paper clipping
200 x 100 cm

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1987
pink, turquoise and yellow paper clippings
60 x 220 cm

Guy Mees
Untitled, 1996
matte blue paper, 5 layers
132 x 32 cm

Guy Mees
Untitled, 1989
paper clippings on wooden board, collage
75 x 100 cm

Guy Mees
Untitled, 1994
Paper clippings on paper (red, orange, dark blue, pink, light blue)
184 x 132 cm

Guy Mees
cut out baseboard, 1995
pastel on coloured paper
129 x 93 cm

Guy Mees
Lost Space, 1965
Lace, blue neon
59 cm diameter

Guy Mees
Untitled, 1991
orange and red paper
110 x 155 cm

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