Jean-Georges Massart’s sculptures consist of willow branches, reed stems and bamboo. No marble, nor bronze, just natural, almost negligible material. These delicate twigs the artist bends, breaks, connects. He forms and creates volumes, poetic figures and sculptures, subtle yet strong, with this material.
Now and then, a branch or a surface is coloured with red ochre, just as primitive peoples sometimes smeared themselves with colour pigments to perform solemn sacred acts. Thus, these works seem to refer equally to primitive rituals, which today’s humans need just as much as those of the past.
Text by Jos Uytterhoeven / Ciap
Born in Tienen (Belgium) on 24 March 1953 , and died † in the same town on 18 January 2022
Education:
– 1970-1977 Tienen, Stedelijke Tekenacademie: Social advancement / Plastic arts. Influential teacher: Jef Vaes
– 1978-1983 Brussels, E.N.S.A.A.V. (La Cambre). Teacher: Roger Dudant. Workshop: Jean Glibert.
– Training courses (ceramics): M. Joly en Serge Vandercam.
Jean-Georges Massart’s oeuvre shows a love for the simplest things. He commands respect for what he loves and allows us to stand in the greatest wonder and admiration for a simple twig or a found boulder. His sculptures are the end result of a careful working process that begins with walking, collecting, selecting and ends with combining, assembling and presenting.
Under his hands, meaningless objects undergo a metamorphosis. The changes that matter undergoes always happen in accordance with its properties. Supple willow twigs are folded, hollow elder canes become tubes …
Jean-Georges Massart’s oeuvre is particularly homogeneous and testifies to simplicity, honesty and respect for the material found.
Text: Translated by Deepl from Dutch text by Raf Coenjaerts for J.-G. Massart
1971 – 2006
Numerous national and international solo and group exhibitions
2007
Exposition au Comptoir (en Neuvice, 20 – 4000 Liège). Carte blanche à l’Atelier 340 Muzeum. Verviers, Galerie Arte Coppo. Massart Jean-Georges. Verviers Musée des Beaux-Art. Courbes. Asse, Galerie De Ziener. Massart Jean-Georges [A VERIFIER]. Jambes, Galerie Détour. Bessem Marion, Gees Paul, Massart Jean-Georges. Liège, Musée d’Art Wallon. Icare.
2008
Asse, Galerij de Ziener, Massart Jean-Georges.Poussières /1977-2007. Verviers, Musée des Beaux-Arts. Le cube au carré2
2009
Tielt-Winge, Espace d’art contenporain H8X12. Klenes Anne-Marie, Massart Jean-Georges. Double mixte. Bruxelles, Palais des Beaux-Arts. L’Union fait la forme. Melle / FR, Biennale internationale d’art contemporain de Melle.
2010
Hansbeke, Vrienden van Hugo. Klenes Anne-Marie, Massart Jean-Georges. Montauban-Buzenol, Centre d’art contemporain du Luxembourg belge / CACLB (Musée lapidaire et halles à charbon). Massart Jean-Georges.
2011
Gembloux, Centre culturel / Espace Athena et Senghor (Passage des déportés, 5030 Gembloux) Il était une fois… la nature. Liège, Société Libre Emulation. Massart Jean-Georges. Petite Fleur”(dixit Sidney Bechet)
2012
Gand, Huize St.Bonaventura. Massart Jean-Georges. Linkebeek, chez Pierre Martens, Massart Jean-Georges. Anvers, Vernstergalerie «brindille ». Massart Jean-Georges. Jette, Atelier 340 Muzeum. Accrochage spontané + collection de l’Atelier 340. Asse, Galerij De Ziener. Een Groep. Wieze Villa De Olmen. Met de ogen gesloten. Nismes / Viroinval / Cul des Sarts. Musée du Petit Format. Biennale Internationale « Petit Format de Papier » (16e )
2013
Asse, Galerij De Ziener. Massart Jean-Georges, recent werk. Gand, Galerij Entrevue. Els Jacobs in dialoog met Jean-Georges Massart.
Gistel, P.A .K. [Sans titre] Gand, Entrepot Fictief. Teken, Contermporary drawing.
2014
Asse, Galerij De Ziener. Een groep 2014. Gand, Galerij Entrevue. Els Jacobs in dialoog met Jean-Georges Massart. Wetteren, Loods 12. De Pauw Wim, Massart Jean-Georges.
2015
Hasselt, Cultureel Centrum. Gees Paul, Hamelryck Ado, Massart Jean-Georges. Bruxelles, Galerie 100 Titres. Radicalis. Asse, Galerij De Ziener. Een groep 2014. Hasselt, Cultureel Centrum. (Re) View. Jette, Alelier34zéro Muzeum. Le grand retour.
