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.


°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.
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 |
2018 | 'The Weather is Quiet, Cool and Soft - Guy Mees', Mu.Zee, Oostende, BE |
2017 | David Zwirner, London, UK |
2016 | Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Brussels, BE |
2013 | Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp, BE |
2012 | 'Lost Space', the Anyspace Gallery, Brussels, 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 |
1989 | 'Guy Mees 1989', edition by Marc Poirier, Antwerp, 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 |
1974 | MTL-Art in Project, Antwerp, BE |
1973 | MTL, Brussels, BE |
1971 | Galerie X-One, Antwerp, BE |
1970 | Galerie X-One, Antwerp, 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 |
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 |
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 |
2015 | 'The Gap, an exhibition of selected abstract art from Belgium', Parasol Unit, London, UK |
2013 | 'Collectiepresentatie VI - winter 2003-2004', 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 |
2011 | 'Guy Mees, deel 2', Mu.ZEE, Ostend, BE |
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 |
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 |
2008 | PMMK, Ostend, BE |
2007 | '7', Roger Raveel Museum, Machelen, BE |
2005 | 'Monopolis - Antwerpen', Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, NL |
2004 | 'Dear ICC - Aspects of contemporary art in Belgium 1970-1985', MuHKA, Antwerp, BE |
2002 | 'Exile on Main Street', N.I.C.C., Antwerp, BE |
2001 | 'Ici & maintenant / Hier & nu', Ancien Entrepot Royal Tour & Taxis (cur. by Laurent Jacob), Brussels, BE |
1999 | 'Tegenvleug/A rebrousse-poil', Kunstcentrum Sittard, NL |
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 |
1992 | 'Corners Filled With What Is Swept Into Corners', 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 |
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