Ron Meerts Sculptor 1
Personal Data Resume Name : Ron Meerts Adres: : Palachova 41, 41201 Litoměřice, Czech Republic Telephone : 0031-651927227 Place and date of birth : Buggenum, The Netherlands, 2 januari 1969 E-mail : ronmeerts@yahoo.com Website : www.ronmeerts.com Education : - HBO Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, higher Vocational education, Academy of Fine Arts, direction: sculpting. - MDGO Social Work, Cultural Work. - KMBO Metal, construction fitter. Language skills : Dutch, English, German and a little Czech. Work history : - Teacher Arts & Crafts and teacher of Technics at the Christian Highschool Oudehoven, Gorinchem, Holland, 2006 t/m 2008. - Sculptor/designer. Work: design and realisation of sculptures and applied work, autonomous and commissioned using a welding machine and steel. Also: providing internships, workshops and organization of exhibitions. - Co-founder art colony M.E.C.C.A. Work: making regulations, workshops and ateliers, guidance and contact for the international visitors group, organising activities for the residents of Terezín and workshops for the visitors. Internship supervisor of a student photography and sculpting from Fontys Hogeschool, Tilburg, Holland. Terezín, Czech Republic, 6 months spread over 1999 en 2000. - Internship supervisor of a student design from Fontys Hogeschool Sittard, Holland, 2001/2002. 2
- Restorer. Work: restaurating several objects, for instance holiday houses, farms and sculptures. Holland and Belgium, 1997-2002. - Block breaker. Work: sawing of blocks of marl stone, breaking rough blocks marl stone out of caves underground. Employer: Kleynen Mergelsteen, Sibbe, Holland,1998-1999. - Metal Construction worker. Work: constructing, cutting, sawing, assembling, grinding and welding. Employer: Becker Bakovenbouw BV, Roermond, Holland, 1985-1988. Nominations : - Voorronde Keranova 1999 - Voorronde Art Primeur 1998 Publications : - Gesha View Newsletter, issue 8 April/May 2010 and issue 9 June/July - Catalogus Festival Grafika a Fotografie Machovy Litoměřice, januari 2010 - Litoměřicko24.cz, 14 oktober 2009 - Litoměřicky Deník, 8 oktober 2009 - De Stad Roermond, 29 oktober 2008 - De Streekbode, 22 oktober 2008 - Brabants Dagblad, Pronkstuk, 18 september 2003 - Art Gallery Update, nummer 2, april / mei 2003 - Gorcumse courant, 4 juli 2001 - Dagblad De Limburger, Scala, 11 februari 1999 - Glas en Klei Tijdschrift, nummer 1, 1998 - Zin, nummer 4, september 1997 - Eindexamencatalogus HKU 1997 Radio/TV :- Litoměřice 24, November 2009 - L1 Radio, Circus Tortellini, December 2001 - RTL4 Journaal, August 1999 3
Exhibition Overview 2012: - 3 e Mezinarodni Sochařske Symposium (Biënnale Sculpting Symposium), Litoměřice, Czech Republic, May/June 2012. 2010: - Project Add to addressbook, Contemporary Art Puzzle Progress, Bucharest, Romenia, September-October 2010. - Gallery Art-icle, Litoměřice, Czech Republic, permanently variable work in stock. - Geshaview, Bulgaria, placement of permanent sculpture in public space, May 2010. - Dryanovo Art Festival, Dryanovo, Bulgaria, May 2010. - Oblastní Museum Litoměřice, Máchovy Litoměřice, Festival Grafiky, Kresby a Fotografie, Czech Republic, January-March 2010. 2009: - Gallery Art-icle, Litoměřice, Czech Republic, November 2009 January 2010. - Art and Culture Manifestation, Jezuïetchurch, Litoměřice, Czech Republic, October 2009. - Litoměřicka muzejní noc (museumnight Litoměřice), Litoměřice, Czech Republic, Juni 2009 2008: - Post-Art Kubinstadt, Litoměřice, Czech Republic, April/May 2008. - Open Gates Exposition Buggenum, The Netherlands, May 2008. - Leudal-Exposition Heythuysen, The Netherlands, Ron Meerts and Ward Windhausen, double exposition in townhall and Rabobank Maas- en Leudal, October - December 2008. - Kunststroom Roerdalen, The Netherlands, September 2008. 2007: - Open Gates Exposition Buggenum, The Netherlands, May 2007. 2005: - Gallery Hüsstege, s-hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, International Summer Exhibiton, 2005, June - July 2005. - Stedelijk Museum, Roermond, The Netherlands, Regionale Midden-Limburg 2005, July - September 2005. 2004: - Gallery Hüsstege, s-hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, International Summer Exhibition, June - September 2004. Also permanently work in stock. - Hartman en Hartman Gallery, Gorinchem, The Netherlands, permanently work in stock. - Kunsthuis Interlokaal, Wezup, The Netherlands, May - July 2004. 2003: - Gallery Hüsstege, s-hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, September - October 2003. - Holland Art Fair, Den Haag, The Netherlands, April 2003. 4
- Hartman en Hartman Gallery, Gorinchem, The Netherlands, March - September 2003. 2002: - Gooi en Eemland Art Fair, Hilversum, The Netherlands, September 2002. - Keramiek 2002, Ohra-gebouw, Arnhem, The Netherlands, April/May 2002. - De Poorten van Reijmerstok 2002, Reijmerstok, The Netherlands, March 2002. 2001: - Hartman en Hartman Gallery, Gorinchem, The Netherlands, June - September 2001. - Kunst Ahoy Art Fair, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, April 2001. - Galerie Vromans, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 2000 - February 2001. 2000: - Zwolsche Algemene, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands July/August 2000. - Centrum voor de Kunsten Stichting Veranneman, Kruishoutem, Belgium, January - October 2000. 1999: - Galerie Amphora, Oosterbeek, The Netherlands, September/October 1999. - Middle European Colony of Contemporary Art, Terezin, Czech Republic, July 1999. - Gemeente Museum Thorn, The Netherlands, January - May 1999. 1998: - Biennale 98, Roermond, The Netherlands, September 1998. - Leudal Museum, Haelen, The Netherlands, Januari 1998. 1997: - Graduation Exposition HKU (Higher vocational Education of Arts Utrecht), Utrecht, June 1997. 5
About the work Ron Meerts (1969 Buggenum, the Netherlands) followed at a young age a metal training to become a construction fitter and worked at the same time in a metal processing company. A few years later he started his education at the Academy of Fine Arts Utrecht, where he graduated in 1997 as a sculptor. The main theme of the autonomous sculptures of Ron Meerts is energy - growth - movement. He is fascinated by the natural, the primordial reality of existence and the spiral as an energetic source. His work looks primeval, natural and earthly and has a sensitive and communicative nature. Meerts chooses an intuitive process which combines high strength and heat and a monk-like patience and precision. Most images are built using CO2 welding according to self-developed processes; this is what makes the work of Ron Meerts so unique. Welding is actually a technique for melting two steel parts with each other into a stable connection. Meerts builds shape from pure construction materials (weld) without having to add steel, allowing a new material to be introduced and added to the spectrum of the arts of sculpture. A good example of his technique is the sculpture Energy Ring (1997). The welding wire is by adding electricity and CO2 gas turned into a lava-like substance, in which Ron Meerts molds his sculptures into shape. This process results in great power-, heat- and lightextravagances. The matter after the solidification of the liquid mass arouses associations with solidified lava. This energy of the formation process is still felt in the strong positive and energetic appearance of the resulting images. The images speak for themselves: Ron Meerts is a classical sculptor with an intuitive design language and an innovative use of materials. 6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Ron Meerts 2011, photography by Bob Strik 33