+ 2 RUE BEAUBOURG F-75004 PARIS +33 (0)9 8438 8774 OFFICE@GALERIEPOGGI.COM + WESLEY MEURIS PORTFOLIO
WESLEY MEURIS, MEMENTO + BIOGRAPHIE Wesley Meurs is born in 1977. He lives and works in Belgium. Wesley Meuris work intersects with both architecture and scientific systems of consolidation and classification. He addresses concepts of conservation and engages in a rationalist understanding of space and knowledge. He produces such varied objects as zoological enclosures, hypothetical archives, museum furniture, and fictional exhibitions. Meuris work has been the subject of several exhibitions and installations: at the Casino of Luxembourg (2012), at the SMAK in Gand (2005), at the Royal Academy of Brussels (2010), at the Fresnoy in Tourcoing (2010), at the MAMAC in Liège (2010), and at the Art & Essai Gallery in Rennes (2010). A number of critics have written about Meuris, including Michel Dewilde, Lievan Van Den Abeele, Eva Wittocx, Jean Marc Huitorel, and Florence Ostende. His work has been the subject of several monographs.
+ WESLEY MEURIS Born in 1977 (BE). Lives and works in Belgium + SOLO SHOWS 2014 Art Brussels, Galerie Jérôme Poggi (BE) La BF15 Art Contemporain, Lyon (FR) 2013 Sightseeing, Galerie Jérôme Poggi, Paris (FR) 2012 R-05.Q-IP.0001 - Casino Luxembourg Forum d'art Contemporain, Luxembourg (LU) Disclosure, Mediaruimte, Brussels (BE) Collection Rooms, Constants and Variables, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) 2010 C.C.C.A.I., Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) Research Building, Congo Collection, CC Knokke-Heist (BE) 2009 The World's most Important Artists, Galerie Art & Essai, Rennes (FR) 2008 We believe in our idea that an exhibition could be fun for everyone, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) 2007 Artificially Deconstructed, De Bond, Bruges (BE) 2006 Cage for Pelodiscus sinensis, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) Cage for Australian night animals, Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL) 2005 Cage for Dendrolagus dorianus, Kunstnu, SMAK, Ghent (BE) 17 1-person cabins, Kulak, University Campus Kortrijk (BE) ARCO'05/project Rooms, Gallery Annie Gentils (ES) 2003 Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) 2002 Wesley Meuris, Virgini&Deborah Bailly, STUK, kunstencentrum, Leuven (BE) Urinal, NICC, Antwerp, (BE) 2001 Merkwürdige Dinge geschehen, Atelier am Eck, Düsseldorf, Germany (DE)
+ GROUP SHOWS 2014 Museum to Scale, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NL) - Artis-Naples, Floride (US) Grenzen/Loos, Emergent, Veurne (BE) 2013 Museum to Scale, Royal Museum of Fine Art of Belgium, Bruxelles (BE) La Tyrannie des Objets, Reflexion & Imagination, Online Biennale - cur. Jan Hoet Rêves d'architecture, Espace de l'art Concret Mouans Sarthoux (FR) N-16 Route-Public shelters for private experience, Mechelen (BE) Les Nouvelles Folies Françaises, Domaine de Saint Germain en Laye (FR) The Mind of the Artist, Gallery Ronny Van de Velde, Knokke (BE) Dreaming of the South, Gallery Marion de Canniere, Antwerp (BE) How High the Moon, Galerie Jérôme Poggi, Paris (FR) 2012 Between Memory and Representation, De Bond, Brugge (BE) Façades, Be-part, Waregem (BE) Unexpressive, De Ketelfactory, Schiedam (NL) 2011 Tender Buttons, University Ghent (BE) 2010 Crossover, Royal Academy, Brussels (BE) The Power of Drawing, Geukens & Devil Gallery, Antwerp (BE) Horizon / Exhibition Models, De Bond, Brugge (BE) ABC, Art Belge Contemporain, Le Fresnoy, Tourcoing (FR) Coup de Ville, City Project, Sint-Niklaas (BE) Ceusta 10, City Project, Tielt (BE) Disturbed Silence, Psychiatric Center Duffel (BE) Sun-Light, City project, Nieuwpoort (BE) New Monuments, Middelheim Sculpture Park, Antwerp (BE) Methamorphosis III, San Gimignano (IT) Out of Control, MAMAC, Liege (BE) Animism, M HKA, Antwerp (BE) 2008 Repliceer..., University Ghent (BE) Amusez-vous, Gallery Koal, Berlin (DE) Art-itectuur, Maagdendalekapel, Oudenaarde (BE) Scope Artfair, Special Projects, Basel (CH) ARTchitectuur, Monumental, Bornem (BE) 2007 Metamorfose, Museo Abello, Mollet del Vallés, Barcelona (ES) Status Questionis, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) Strong Art-Research, Existentie, Ghent (BE) Metamorfose, L.A.C., Sigean (FR) House Trip, Art-Forum, Berlin (DE) European Forum for Emerging Creation, Casino Luxembourg (LU) Kunst & Wunderkammern, CC Knokke-Heist (BE) Silent Revolutions, Kruidtuin, Leuven (BE) Art cologne, New Talents 2007, Cologne (DE) Home is where the heart is, De Voorkamer, Lier (BE) Actionfields, Brussels (BE) Pulse, Art-fair, New York (US)
2006 Provinciale Prijs Beeldende Kunst, Antwerp (BE) ArtCologne, Open Space, Cologne, Germany (DE) Traurig sicher, im Training, Graz, Austria (AT) Freestate, Oostende (BE) Art Brussels, Gallery Annie Gentils (BE) The collection, S.M.A.K., Ghent (BE) 2005 And Lucy liked it?, HISK, Antwerp (BE) Cage for Pelodiscus sinensis, Lineart, Young Ones Award, Ghent (BE) ArtCologne, Cologne, Germany (DE) Fiësta, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) Dan Graham and Sculptures, ING-Bank, Brussels (BE). Open studio's, HISK Antwerp (BE) 2004 Ename actueel, 9minuten 74 seconden, curator: S.Vanbellingen, Ename (BE) Damn'art`04, Hedendaagse kunst in Damme (BE) Eclips, curator: Stef Vanbellingen, Willebroek (BE) De vierkantswortel van het geheugen, curator: Filip Luyckx, Dendermonde (BE) Prix Mediatine 2004, Médiatine, Woluwe, Brussels (BE) 2003 Verboden op het werk te komen, Brakke Grond/W139, Amsterdam (NL) Sugar & Spice, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) 2001 Belgian Brand, Gallery Annie Gentils, Antwerp (BE) 2000 Fagus,i,f, Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Bos en groen, Brussels (BE) Expo, L'Usine, Ukkel-Brussels (BE) M'as-tu vu?, CC Belgica, Dendermonde (BE) 1999 Nieuwe meesters, C.R.A.K., Antwerp (BE) Laureaten 99, St-Lucasgalerij, Brussels (BE) PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS 2014 Nathalie Desmet, "Wesley Meuris, Sightseeing", ESSE, Hiver 2013 Christophe Kihm «La fiction comme méthode», ArtPress, 396 2012 Foundation for Exhibiting Art and Knowledge, Bizhan Mouradipour& Pawel Jankowsky, Mary Anne Staniszewski, Charlotte Klonk, Julia Noordegraaf & Michel Dewilde, ABL Publishers 2010 C.C.C.A.I, Denis Briand et Jean-Marc Poinsot, Published by Compagnie du Sagittaire 2007 Artificially Deconstructed, Michel Dewilde, Herman Parret et Key Portilla-Kawamura,Published by Wesley Meuris et Galerie Anne Gentils 2006 Zoological Classification, Herman Parret, Published by Wesley Meuris & Gallery Annie Gentils
Exhibition view, «Expa --nsion», BF15, Lyon (France), 2014
Exhibition view, «Expa --nsion», BF15, Lyon (France), 2014
Exhibition view of La Tyrannie des Objets, Galerie Des Galeries, Paris, 2013 Exhibition project for La Tyrannie des Objets, Galerie Des Galeries, Paris, 2013
Exhibition view of the Wesley Meuris monographic exhibition R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino du Luxembourg, 2012 Exhibition view of the Wesley Meuris monographic exhibition R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino du Luxembourg, 2012
Highlights of Constructivism, 2012 Print and Watercolor on paper/ Di-bond/Frame 58 x 45 cm
Machines that Changed the World, 2012 Print and Watercolor on paper/ Di-bond/Frame 58 x 45 cm
Compare two magnificent pieces of the collection, 2012 Oak plywood, metal, lighting In situ Installation Exhibition view, R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino Luxembourg
Project advertisement - BThe National History Museum Behind Closed Doors, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 100 x 80 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
Acquired Taste, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 61 x 73 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
Project Advertisement - The Great White Journey, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 100 x 80 cm Edition: 3 + 1 E.A
Exhibition view, «Sightseeing», Galerie Jérôme Poggi, 2013
Exhibition view, «Expa --nsion», BF15, Lyon (France), 2014
The Garden of Birds, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 61 x 73 cm Edition: 3 + 1 E.A
Project Advertisement - Sex at the Museum, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 100 x 80 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
Project Advertisement - Glories of Ancient Greece, 2012 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond 100 x 80 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
Vision Restored, 2012 wood, glass, metal, lighting 220 x 350 x 185 cm Photo credits: Eric Chenal
Display Kit for Portrait Satues - 40 Meaningful Curators of Contemporary Art, 2012 In situ installation Exhibition view, R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino Luxembourg
Exhibition view of Wesley Meuris monographic exhibition R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino du Luxembourg, 2012
Project Museum to Scale - A Unique Art Collection, 2011 Wood, glass, and lighting 100 x 65 x 60 cm Unique Museum to scale 1/7 is an initiative by Ronny Van de Velde which has been developed by the artist Wesley Meuris. Museum to scale 1/7 is an initiative by Ronny Van de Velde which has been developed by the artist Wesley Meuris. In accordance with a firmly established postmodern tradition, the museum is at once subject and object of an intervention that operates as a mise en abîme that is, the representation of an object using the object itself as a frame of reference. Museum to scale features more than a hundred miniature exhibition rooms at a scale of 1:7 that are devoted to Belgian artists and Belgian artistic movements. After a homage to Marcel Duchamp and his Boîte-en-valise, the circuit takes off with Jean-Jacques Grandville s illustrations to Gulliver s travels, the famous novel by Jonathan Swift in which scale assumes an important role. Thematic and historical ensembles devoted to symbolism, surrealism, photography, the Cobra movement, abstract and minimal art lead to a section in which Belgian contemporary artists have each decorated a room in their own original way. Among the participating artists are Jan Fabre, Jan De Cock, Pierre Alechinsky, Koen Van Mechelen, Ann Veronica Janssens, Michel François, and also Angel Vergara, Johan Muyle, Luc Deleu, Luc Tuymans and many more. A website makes a visit to the exhibition an interactive activity. In the exhibition, the visitor can select his favorite museums by scanning the QR codes on the title tags with a smartphone. This selection is sent to the website Museum to scale and is registered there. The individual viewing behavior is tracked by the platform of the website and thus the visitor becomes curator. He creates his own ideal exhibition.
Collection masterpieces Storage- classified objects Research Building Entry Meeting point Restauration area Research Center corridor Restauration and Research Center Conditionnement Research Building, Congo Collection, 2010
Research Building, Congo Collection, 2010 Plan et vues de l exposition, CC Knokke-Heist The Cultural Center of Knokke-Heist, invited artist Wesley Meuris to create an exhibition with the collection of Mr. Joseph Schelfhout, Congolese sculptures and objects. In this context Meuris designed a total system in the form of a museum and gave it the title Research Building. Eventually he brought the collect Schelfhout as part of his museum structure. The installation Research Building covers almost the entire surface of the culture center. Indeed, the questions surrounding the authenticity of the displayed African pieces or our relationship to the Congo, represent a reason for Meuris to an impressive discourse to establish the history and functions of museums, the evolution of the exhibition design and the role of the artist and its installation in this data, the position and experience of the viewer in the exhibition process and much more. We may claim that both the subject and the context of the exhibition Research Building, are the analysis, conservation, exhibition of and communication about (art) objects, in all their institutional parts and translations. Research Building functions as a search and research engine, now metaphorical, then again poetical, critical, theoretical or emotional. In this sense, the Schelfhout collection forms an interesting point of departure for Meuris, and he approaches it critically; but it is not the subject of this exhibition. The collection of Congolese sculptures is presented by Meuris in a consciously flashy design, and stripped of any reference. It is presented as a nearly endless flood of images that seem to be completely interchangeable and which function as decorative ethnic objects as they are found in many private homes. By its presence and lack of authenticity, the Congo Collection not only gives the Research Building a research subject, but also partly lends it legitimation. In the end, this exhibition installation also serves as a museum, with a real collection of objects. Meuris works with the image of a visitor who is sent out to investigate through a labyrinthine exhibition installation, conceived as a museum, with an experience and analysis of both as a purpose.
Entrance Kit For Sculpture Garden II 2010 wood sculpture 720 x 420 x 175 cm Unique
Filing Cabinet, 2009 Wood, metal, handles, labels 165 x 150 x 300 cm Unique
The World s Most Important Artists, 2009 Bois, verre, poignées en métal, système d éclairage, 600 étiquettes uniques 250 x 1000 x 1500 cm Vue d exposition, Galerie Art & Essai, Université Rennes France
The World s Most Important Artists, 2009 wood, glass, metal, handles, 660 labels 6 x (195 x 155 x 40 cm) Exhibition view, R-05.Q-IP.0001, Casino Luxembourg
A Mosque with a Contemporary View, 2008 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond/Wenge Frame 155 x 115 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
The National Museum of Ancient Cultures, 2008 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond/Wenge Frame 155 x 115 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
The Most Inspiring Fair of the World, 2008 Print on Photorag/Di-Bond/Wenge Frame 155 x 115 cm Edition : 3 + 1 E.A
Exhibition view, «Sightseeing», Galerie Jérôme Poggi, 2013
Camera Services at the Museum Kiosk - Take the perfect shot in front of your favorite piece of artwork, after your visit at the museum you leave with the unique souvenirs, 2008 Wood, tile, glass, and lighting 360 x 380 x 250 cm
Enclosure for Okapia johnstoni, 2007 Wood, tile, metal, glass, lighting 420 x 1500 x 500 cm
Enclosure for Pygmy hippopotamus, 2007 Wood, tile, glass, lighting 420 x 1500 x 500 cm
Enclosed habitat area for medium-sized rodents, 2006 Pencil and water color on paper 79 x 85 cm Aqua theatre- The intelligent, acrobatic moves of the Bottlenose Dolphin, 2006 Pencil and water color on paper 79 x 85 cm
Cage for Alopex lagopus, 2006 265 x 510 x 210 cm Wood, tile, glass and lighting Credit photo: Carine Demeter
The Incredible Nightlife in the Tropical Forest, 2006 Wood, water pump, glass, lighting 260 x 1000 x 2200 cm
Cage for Galago Crassicaudata, 2005 Wood, tile, glass, water, lighting 210 x 185 x 420 cm