Walter Leblanc
Biography
The Belgian artist Walter Leblanc is born in Antwerp in 1932. He studies at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Antwerp from 1949-1954 and at the Institut Supérieur des Beaux-Arts in Antwerp from 1955–1956. In 1956 he gets married with Nicole Labedz. In 1958 he founds the artists’ group G58 from 1959 torsion becomes the most important pictorial and graphic element in his work . In 1961 he has his first major solo exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Since 1962 Leblanc is a member of the international artists group NEUE TENDENZ . In 1964 he integrates his works into architecture for the first time. In 1975 the work group Archétypes is created. From 1977 to 1986 he teaches at the Institut d’Architecture et d’Urbanism in Antwerp. Between 1981 and 1986 he creates the work for the Simonis métro station in Brussels. Leblanc plays a pioneering role in European art in the post-war period. The artist garnered international attention especially with his Torsions. Leblanc can be classified without question alongside the big names of the ZERO movement, whose network extends from Germany, Belgium and Italy right across Switzerland. As one of the pioneers of contemporary art production, abstraction is a focal point of his work, as is the relationship between materiality and light. To underscore this connection and implement it in his works, Leblanc uses unusual materials such as sand, cotton threads, latex. PVC and metal. His work should not, however, be defined simply as geometrical abstraction. Instead one could speak of a sensory geometry or order. For in his works basic geometrical forms become stringent constructive, rhythmical compositions by means of systematic superimposition, staggering, juxtaposition and torsion. 1986 Walter Leblanc dies on the 14th January in Silly after a fatal accident.
Exhibitions (Selection)
1961 Walter Leblanc, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1962 Anti-Peinture, G58 Hessenhuis, Antwerp | 1964 Propositions visuelles du mouvement international Nouvelle Tendance, Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris | 1965 The Responsive Eye, Museum of Modern Art, New York City / Licht und Bewegung/Kinetische Kunst, Kunsthalle Bern, Berne Lumière, Mouvement et Optique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels / Licht und Bewegung/Kinetische Kunst, Kunsthalle Baden-Baden und Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf | 1966 Weiss auf Weiss, Kunsthalle Bern | 1968 Walter Leblanc: Torsions, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1970 35. Venice Biennale | 1979 Zero Internationaal , Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerp | 1985 Eine Europaïsche Bewegung Bilder und Objekte aus der Sammlung Lenz Schönberg, Museum Carolino Augusteum, Salzburg | 1986 Königliche Museen der Schönen Künste, Brussels | 1989 Walter Leblanc Retrospektive, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen | 1990 40 ans de Jeune Peinture Belge Regard contemporain sur un choix historique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1998 Kunst im Aufbruch Abstraktion zwischen 1945 und 1959, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen | 2001 Walter Leblanc, Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent | 2003 Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo | 2004 Zero. Die Europäische Vision - 1958 bis Heute, Sammlung Lenz Schönberg, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst, Zagreb | 2006 ZERO. Künstler einer europäischen Bewegung, Sammlung Lenz Schönberg 1956–2006, Museum der Moderne Salzburg / ZERO – Internationale Künstler-Avantgarde der 50er/60er Jahre , Museum Kunst Palast, Dusseldorf | 2011 Walter Leblanc, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels | 2014 Zero: Countdown to Tomorrow, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City | 2015 Zero: The international art movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin / Zero: Let us Explore the Stars , Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam | 2016 Walter Leblanc, Jef Verheyen: Dialogue with Light, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels | 2017 Biennale Socle du Monde, Herning Museum of Contemporary Art A Tribute to the Responsive Eye, Galerie Dierking, Zurich | 2020 – 2021 Exhibition Walter Leblanc - Keisuke Matsuura: Resonance, Walter Leblanc Foundation, Brüssel.
Walter Leblanc
Biography
The Belgian artist Walter Leblanc is born in Antwerp in 1932. He studies at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Antwerp from 1949-1954 and at the Institut Supérieur des Beaux-Arts in Antwerp from 1955–1956. In 1956 he gets married with Nicole Labedz. In 1958 he founds the artists’ group G58 from 1959 torsion becomes the most important pictorial and graphic element in his work . In 1961 he has his first major solo exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Since 1962 Leblanc is a member of the international artists group NEUE TENDENZ . In 1964 he integrates his works into architecture for the first time. In 1975 the work group Archétypes is created. From 1977 to 1986 he teaches at the Institut d’Architecture et d’Urbanism in Antwerp. Between 1981 and 1986 he creates the work for the Simonis métro station in Brussels. Leblanc plays a pioneering role in European art in the post-war period. The artist garnered international attention especially with his Torsions. Leblanc can be classified without question alongside the big names of the ZERO movement, whose network extends from Germany, Belgium and Italy right across Switzerland. As one of the pioneers of contemporary art production, abstraction is a focal point of his work, as is the relationship between materiality and light. To underscore this connection and implement it in his works, Leblanc uses unusual materials such as sand, cotton threads, latex. PVC and metal. His work should not, however, be defined simply as geometrical abstraction. Instead one could speak of a sensory geometry or order. For in his works basic geometrical forms become stringent constructive, rhythmical compositions by means of systematic superimposition, staggering, juxtaposition and torsion. 1986 Walter Leblanc dies on the 14th January in Silly after a fatal accident.
Exhibitions (Selection)
1961 Walter Leblanc, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1962 Anti-Peinture, G58 Hessenhuis, Antwerp | 1964 Propositions visuelles du mouvement international Nouvelle Tendance, Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris | 1965 The Responsive Eye, Museum of Modern Art, New York City / Licht und Bewegung/Kinetische Kunst, Kunsthalle Bern, Berne Lumière, Mouvement et Optique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels / Licht und Bewegung/Kinetische Kunst, Kunsthalle Baden-Baden und Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Dusseldorf | 1966 Weiss auf Weiss, Kunsthalle Bern | 1968 Walter Leblanc: Torsions, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1970 35. Venice Biennale | 1979 Zero Internationaal , Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerp | 1985 Eine Europaïsche Bewegung Bilder und Objekte aus der Sammlung Lenz Schönberg, Museum Carolino Augusteum, Salzburg | 1986 Königliche Museen der Schönen Künste, Brussels | 1989 Walter Leblanc Retrospektive, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen | 1990 40 ans de Jeune Peinture Belge Regard contemporain sur un choix historique, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels | 1998 Kunst im Aufbruch Abstraktion zwischen 1945 und 1959, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen | 2001 Walter Leblanc, Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent | 2003 Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo | 2004 Zero. Die Europäische Vision - 1958 bis Heute, Sammlung Lenz Schönberg, Museum für zeitgenössische Kunst, Zagreb | 2006 ZERO. Künstler einer europäischen Bewegung, Sammlung Lenz Schönberg 1956–2006, Museum der Moderne Salzburg / ZERO – Internationale Künstler-Avantgarde der 50er/60er Jahre , Museum Kunst Palast, Dusseldorf | 2011 Walter Leblanc, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels | 2014 Zero: Countdown to Tomorrow, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City | 2015 Zero: The international art movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin / Zero: Let us Explore the Stars , Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam | 2016 Walter Leblanc, Jef Verheyen: Dialogue with Light, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels | 2017 Biennale Socle du Monde, Herning Museum of Contemporary Art A Tribute to the Responsive Eye, Galerie Dierking, Zurich | 2020 – 2021 Exhibition Walter Leblanc - Keisuke Matsuura: Resonance, Walter Leblanc Foundation, Brüssel.
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