12 december 2023, Flor Linckens
Compagnons de route: a symphony of three Belgian artists
Until 25 February 2024, Callewaert Vanlangendonck Gallery in Antwerp is presenting an exhibition with work by three Belgian artists: Fred Bervoets, Philippe Vandenberg and Maurice Wyckaert. The exhibition celebrates the centenary of Maurice Wyckaert's birth. The title reveals the connection between the three artists: they are 'compagnons de route', artistic fellow travelers who maintained personal and professional relationships, with Wyckaert at their center.
Maurice Wyckaert (1923-1996), born in Brussels, is regarded as a prominent artist in the post-war Belgian art scene. Influenced by Jean Brusselmans, Eastern calligraphy, and the luminist ideas of William Turner and James Ensor, he carved his own path towards neo-expressionism and lyrical abstraction. He is particularly renowned for his landscapes, which he captured in a free, abstract, and remarkably colourful manner. Wyckaert was involved in various art movements, including the Situationist International, and co-founded Belgian art magazines such as 'De Meridiaan' and 'Taptoe Brussel'. His friendships with CoBrA members like Asger Jorn were crucial for his development as an artist. He also traveled extensively to explore new horizons, both literally and figuratively, with the Italian landscape in particular leaving a lasting impression on him. During his lifetime, Wyckaert participated in events such as the São Paulo Art Biennial and the Venice Biennale, where he represented Belgium.
Fred Bervoets (born 1942) is also a well-known figure in the Belgian art world, particularly in Antwerp. His busy, expressive, and dynamic style is characterised by elements of Fauvism and post-CoBrA. In addition to paintings, the artist also creates graphic works and etchings. Bervoets' practice is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and environment. He is known for his Ensor-like blend of self-mockery and irony, often portraying himself in a caricatural manner in his works. These self-portraits represent his view of the world. Maurice Wyckaert first encountered Bervoets' work in 1963 at the 'Onderaards' ('Underground') exhibition in the Bank of Brussels. The artists became friends, and Wyckaert introduced him to his CoBrA friends in Paris and to the wealthy collector Stéphane Janssen, who exhibited Bervoets' work in his gallery La Balance — where, incidentally, he didn't sell works, but Janssen often purchased large amounts of art himself. In 1993, Janssen also arranged for Bervoets' work to be shown at the Center for the Arts in Scottsdale, Arizona, alongside an equal number of works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, who had passed away a few years earlier. Last year, Bervoets' work was featured in a solo exhibition at Museum De Reede in Antwerp.
