© Arpaïs Du Bois – Pourêtrerebondissant

Description

ABOUT
The work of drawer-painter Arpaïs Du Bois (°1973) is strongly layered and analytic to counter the congested reality of the surrounding world. Her drawn journal-like compulsively filled books show us syntheses of images where any pretension of showing truth is excluded. Since there is no such thing as truth, as reality, everything gravitates around the perception of it.
 This is what she catches on paper, what she transforms through the adventure of the line, the playing and banging of colours. These drawing books, consisting of refined forms and scattered phrases, carefully positioned on sometimes empty grounds or sometimes painterly surfaces, have designated her public output, generally providing the content for her exhibitions in the form of pages torn from the notebooks arranged in novel constellations. These constellations have a high level of poetic strength as well as a striking fragility. Along these assembled small drawings, she explores mid-scale and largescale drawings/paintings on paper. In these large works she shows the same intensity and necessity as in the small ones. She formulates her (pre)occupation as a fight against forgetting, against oblivion. Her developed system of noting down what many overlook, of commenting so-called trivialities, by bending the bow between image and the written word has made her a fierce observer and commentator of the small systems in which we live, as well as the big wide world in which we attempt to make our small systems work. Arpaïs Du Bois’ sharp annotations are directed towards herself as much as towards the viewer, pointing at every single one of us. Her work is about slowing down the pace of life, taking time to ask the questions that should be asked. There is a specific ‘political’ dimension to the work of Arpaïs Du Bois, what she produces is nothing more nor less than a claim, for words opposed to rationalism of our time, for thoughts which by their false authority reaffirm the properly human dimension of our lives.
 Drawing is to her the continuation of thinking. She is a drawer/thinker, a thinker/writer, a writer/drawer. She is a materialiser. Her work is neither to be categorized in the anecdotal, illustrative, narrative current in contemporary drawing nor in the abstract, minimalist one. Her very own position is cogent. Even though all of her works are links of one long chain, each of them can be read and seen as an autonomous allegation.

Collaboration with Galerie van der Mieden (Antwerp/Brussels) 2007-2013 Collaboration with Gallery Fifty One, Antwerp since 2014 – (guest-project in 2011)

EDUCATION

1994-1998 Master-degree in Fine Arts at Sint-Lucas Antwerpen (Antwerp) 1993 Graphic
design, Royal Academy of Fine arts (Antwerp)
1991-1993 Politieke en Sociale Wetenschappen, RUG (Ghent) 

SELECTED SOLO/DUO EXHIBITIONS

2021
‘(pour)retendre l’atmosphère, Gallery FIFTY ONE, Antwerp, B
2020
‘retrouvailles’, duo-show with Paul Gees, Geukens & De Vil, Knokke, B
2019
‘Works on Paper’, semina rerum Gallery, Zürich, CH ‘SUITE’, Artcurial, Brussels, B
‘Visite’, Rossi Contemporary, Brussels, B
2018
‘Inconfortablement au Salon’, Gallery FIFTY ONE, Antwerp, B ‘Trébucheurs – Piétineurs’, DE GARAGE, Mechelen, B
2017
‘ma belle saison chez Vincent’ Vincent Van GoghHuis – Van GoghGalerie, Zundert , NL
2016
‘faire partie des gens qui chantent’, Gallery FIFTY ONE, Antwerp, B ‘trouver un moyen d’habiter le monde’, Museum Dr.Guislain, Gent, B
2015
Marion Devillers, ARPAÏS du bois et leurs nuages, M.A. chez Christian Aubert, Paris, F
2014
‘WHAT HAPPENS TO MATTER’, duo with Paul Gees, EVA STEYNEN.DEVIATION(S), Antwerp, B ‘PAR LES BRETELLES’, Gallery Fifty One, Antwerp, B
2013
‘au manège défoncé, PAK, Gistel, B
‘noyade sèche’, Galerie van der Mieden, Brussels, B
2012
‘where they met – and further’, semina rerum, Zürich, CH
‘Face au(x deux) mur(s), CCHa, Hasselt, B
‘where they met’, duo with Yamamoto Masao, Fifty One Fine Art Photography, Antwerp, B
2011
‘Trois cent quatre-vingt-onze, deux mille sept cent quarante huit’, Galerie van der Mieden,
Antwerp, B
2010
‘Du corps au monde’, Psychotherapie en kunst, ElimArt, Kapellen, B ARPAÏS du bois & Denis Verkeyn, Centre Culturel de Marchin, Marchin, B ‘Refuge’, Moments Artistiques,
Paris, F
2008
‘Le sauvetage de la grande béquille’, Galerie van der Mieden, Antwerp, B
2006
‘Après le noir, un tout autre noir’, Atelier Antwerpen, Antwerp, B ‘Petites graines de tous les
jours’, Vernon Gallery, Prague, CZ
2005
‘Curating the library’, de Singel, Antwerp, B ‘Des illusions virgule’, Bourla, Antwerp, B
2004
‘Au bout d’une saison’, Atelier Antwerpen, Antwerp, B ‘HISTOIRE’, Espace Gainville, Aulnay-sous-Bois, F
2003
‘Sans titre’, Ateliers du Triangle d’Art, Ivry-sur-Seine, F
‘Les répendus et l’épinglée’, Moments Artistiques, Paris, F ‘Mon rêve avait une jambe de bois’, Galerij De Ziener, Asse, B
2002
Galerij Pont en Plas, Ghent, B
2001
‘Bundel lichamen’, MuHKA, Antwerp, B
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020
‘het gelag’, Antwerp, B
NABEELD, PARK, Tilburg, NL
‘20ième biennale internationale PETIT FORMAT DE PAPIER’, Nismes, Arlon, Liège, St
Niklaas, B ‘gekende woorden’, Academie Tielt, Tielt, B
‘ART AUTUN’, biennale Autun, F
2019
‘Le Quotidien’, valerie_traan_gallery, Antwerp, B
‘EKPHRASIS’, Fondation Boghossian/Villa Empain, Brussels, B ‘A provisional Legacy’, Adornesdomein, Bruges, B
‘Quatuor’, Ruimte P60, Assen, NL
‘Biennale de Photographie en Condroz’, Marchin, B ‘Woordkunst’, Walden Art Stories,
Antwerp, B
‘tekening’, SASK, St Niklaas, B
‘Nieuwe Aanwinsten’, Vincent van GoghHuis, Zundert, NL
2018
‘Prikkels’, Museum Dr. Guislain, Ghent, B
Kunstenfestival Watou 2018, Watou, B
‘L’Atlas des nuages’, at Fondation d’Art Contemporain François Schneider, Wattwiller, F
‘ECCE HOMO’ curated by Yasmine Geukens, Marie-Paule De Vil, Marion de Cannière,
Eric Rinckhout, several locations, Antwerp, B
‘XL – Size Matters’, Gallery Fifty One Too, Antwerp, B
2017
‘J’avais 15 ans’, Centre culturel de Marchin, Marchin, B
‘(It) Works on Paper II’, Kristof De Clercq Gallery, Ghent, B ‘ABSTRACTED’, aeroplastics
contemporary, Brussels, B ‘SEVENTEEN by FIFTY ONE’, Gallery Fifty One, Antwerp, B
‘Identities’, Galerie EL, Welle, B
2016
‘Grote Prijs Ernest Albert’, De Garage, Mechelen, B
‘Die van Aalst, hedendaagse kunst uit privé-verzamelingen’ curator Jan De Nys, Gent,
Wieze, Dendermonde, Aalst, Welle, B
‘The Central Periphery’, (Antwerp Art Weekend) DE STUDIO, Antwerp, B
‘DRAWING FRONT’, Drawing Centre Diepenheim, NL
2015
‘(RE)VIEW’, groupshow curated by René Geladé at CCHA, Hasselt, B ‘The pistil’s waltz’,
Gallery FIFTY ONE, Antwerp, B
2014
‘La fureur de vivre’ at ‘LA BRASSSERIE’, Foncquevillers, F

‘ALMANACH’, groupshow curated by Lorand Hegyi, Galerie Heike Curtze, Wien, A
‘ALMANACH’, groupshow curated by Lorand Hegyi Galleria Alessandro Bagnai, Firenze, I
‘Oorlog en Trauma’ Museum Dr.Guislain, Ghent, B
2013

‘Crossing lines again’, Workplace, Antwerp, B
‘Quinta Essentia’, semina rerum, Zürich, CH
‘gratis toegang’, St Martinuspastorij, Westmalle, B
2012

‘Tina.B’, the Golem project, Klementinum, Prague, CZ
‘tchip tchip’ centre culturel de Marchin, B

‘RAAK’ Schunck, NL

Mu.ZEE, Ostend, B
2011
‘RAAK’ educational exhibition by RASA, S.M.A.K., Ghent, B
‘Wallpiece 14’ Sint Lucas passage Antwerp, B
2010
‘(when will they finally see) the POWER of DRAWING’ (62 Belgian contemporary artists) Geukens en De Vil
 Antwerp, B
‘Wallpiece 10’ Sint Lucas passage, Antwerp, B
2009
‘Drawing Actions’ De Halle, Geel, B
2007
‘heilige huisjes’ de Winkelhaak, Antwerp, B ‘papier’, Galerie van der Mieden, Antwerp, B
2006
‘Déjà’, Espace Commines, Paris, F
2004
‘Tekeningen’, Galerij Jan Colle, Ghent, B
FAIRS
Art Brussels 2020 @Gallery FIFTY ONE
Drawing Now 2020, Paris @Gallery FIFTY ONE
Art Brussels 2019 @ Gallery FIFTY ONE
Art Brussels 2018 @ Gallery FIFTY ONE and Galerie 8 + 4
Fiac 2017 @ Galerie 8 + 4
Art Paris 2017 @ Galerie 8 + 4
Art Brussels 2017 @ Gallery FIFTY ONE and Galerie 8 + 4
Art Brussels 2015 @ Gallery FIFTY ONE
Art Brussels 2014 @ Gallery FIFTY ONE

Art Brussels 2013 @ galerie van der Mieden and Fifty One Fine Art Photography ‘Drawing
Now’, le salon du dessin contemporain PARIS, 2011 @ Galerie Van der Mieden Salon du
Dessin Contemporain, Paris, 2010 @ Galerie van der Mieden
Arco Madrid 2010 @ Galerie van der Mieden
Art Brussels 2009 @ Galerie van der Mieden
Art Amsterdam 2008 @ Galerie van der Mieden Art Brussels 2007 @ Galerie van der
Mieden
PUBLICATIONS/ BOOKS
‘FEUE LA JOYEUSETÉ’, Hopper&Fuchs, 2021, ISBN:9789464002034
‘SI NON LÀ’, A FIFTY ONE PUBLICATION’, 2018, ISBN 9789081772570
‘Ma belle saison chez Vincent’, Another FIFTY ONE PUBLICATION, 2017, ISBN
9789081772563 ‘tout droit vers la fin en sifflotant’, Hannibal Publishing, 2016, ISBN 978
94 9208 156 8
‘Petit livre qui ne tient pas debout’, Lannoo, 2013, ISBN 9789401411028
‘Where We Met’ with Yamamoto Masao, Lannoo, 2011, ISBN 9789020957884
‘des illusions virgule’, TOOHCSMI, 2005
‘HISTOIRE’, IMSCHOOT, 2004
‘Bundel Lichamen’, TOOHCSMI, 2001
CATALOGUES
‘ART AUTUN’, Snoeck, 2020, ISBN: 9789461616111
‘Ekphrasis’, Boghossian Foundation, 2020, ISBN: 9782960191493
‘Watou 2018’, vzw Kunst + Stichting Ijsberg vzw, 2018, ISBN 9789081741385 ‘ECCE
HOMO’, Hannibal Publishing, 2017, ISBN 978 94 9267 714 3
‘What happens to matter’ , Eva Steynen.Deviations, 2015
‘Kunst op de Campus’, University Press Antwerp, 2013, ISBN 978 90 5718 332 4 ‘ik
wordt’, Johan De Wilde, MER Paper Kunsthalle’, 2013, ISBN 978 94 9177 504 8 ‘War and
Trauma’, Hannibal Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978 94 9137 663 4
‘When will they finally see the power of drawing’, Geukens & De Vil, 2010 ‘Designers
against Aids, the first decade’, Ludion, 2010 , ISBN 978 90 5544 841 8 ‘Drawing Actions’
2009
‘Heilige Huisjes’ 2007