Belgian Post-War Artists and the Parisian Art Scene
Paris, the vibrant art metropolis of the 1950s and early 1960s, served as a magnet for Belgian artists after World War II. The allure of the Nouvelle École de Paris not only provided inspiration but also offered a platform for these artists to develop and showcase their talent. In this project, we present a unique selection of Belgian artists who were closely connected to this iconic art scene. Their works illustrate how the influence of Paris permeated their personal styles and how they incorporated these ideas into their further artistic practices in Belgium.
This selection highlights artists who actively participated in Parisian art life. Serge Vandercam, for example, was exhibited alongside Pierre Soulages in 1959 at the prestigious Musée d’Art Moderne. His work demonstrates a profound dialogue with the lyrical abstraction that dominated Paris at the time. Jan Saverys represents another significant connection: he studied at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in the early 1950s and, following in the footsteps of Hans Hartung, became one of the first Belgians to engage with lyrical abstraction after the Second World War. Saverys’ time in Paris was pivotal to his artistic identity.
Several artists made Paris their (second) home, including Hugo Claus, Gilbert Decock, Pol Bury and Luc Peire. Pol Bury’s kinetic fountain at Palais Royal stands as a lasting testament to his impact on the city, while Seuphor, as both theorist and artist, became a prominent voice in abstract art. Luc Peire developed his distinctive vertical style in Paris, which took on new dimensions in this context. Bram Bogart worked in a Parisian studio in the late 1950s and exhibited there regularly. His bold material paintings reflect the influence of the French avant-garde. Christian Dotremont, co-founder of the Cobra movement, found fertile ground in Paris for his poetic visual language and his connections with like-minded artists.
Paul Van Hoeydonck was associated with the legendary Galerie Iris Clert, where one of his works was acquired by the MoMA in New York. Additionally, he maintained a close relationship with Georges Vantongerloo, whom he visited frequently in his Paris studio. This relationship enriched his oeuvre and aligned him with the modernist tradition of abstraction. Guy Vandenbranden traveled to Paris as early as the late 1940s, visiting the famed cabaret Au Lapin Agile and immersing himself in the vibrant artistic bohemia. Later, he visited Vasarely’s studio and was influenced by his geometric abstraction. Marcel-Henri Verdren worked in the late 1950s in the studio of British printmaker Stanley William Hayter in Paris, finding new inspiration for his graphic work.