Jean-Luc Moerman Belgian, b. 1967

Overview
Jean-Luc Moerman
Untitled, 2013, ink on paper

Moerman's career as an artist began in the early 90ties, offside the institutional art world, in the streets of Brussels, where he began to develop his first biomorphic shapes on stickers, which were quickly presented all over the cityscape. Even during his first visit to New York in 1992, the capital of contemporary street art, Moerman's urban tattoos achieved a kind of label and are remarkable until today. Since his first solo show in 1995, Moerman has gone on to exhibit internationally in a wide spectrum of capacities. His works have been featured in numerous galleries, museums, and private collections, namely the Olbricht Collection, Berlin; La Maison Rouge, Paris; Musee D'Art Modern, Luxemburg; Musee d'Ixelles, Brussels; Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais; MOCA, Shanghai; The Flag Art Foundation, NYC; Vanhaerents Collection, Brussels. Additionally, notable is his solo project at Art Unlimited, Art Basel in 2005, his participation in a number of biennials, public space, and iconic façade projects, and his retrospectives at BPS22, Belgium and Leu Gallery, Munich.

 

With two monographs published, 'The Art of Jean-Luc Moerman' features a key interview with Hans Ulrich Obrist. In the last years alone he has had solo exhibitions in Brussels, Barcelona, Munich, Luxemburg, Korea, Venice and Dubai. Moerman's distinct use of shape is basically independent of its media. It integrates itself, unagitated, on every surface. Once begun, it seems that it infects autonomously the environment. Like a virus, it absorbs walls, windows, papers, canvases, aluminum boxes, and any kind of readymade. His style is unique and can not really be clearly categorized. His roots are in Street Art, but his current work is multifarious and oscillates between organic drawing, psychedelic painting, biomorphic design and pop. Although Moerman is used to working with nearly every medium and surface, the essential point of his expression always has been the draftsmanship. The starting points are always fine calligraphic lines that he composes under devotional concentration to a picture. Everything is done from scratch without tools. Just the artist's hand leads the line from nothing into chaos. Moerman's work basically deals with the tradition of the pattern and the history of tattooing without overloading it symbolically. Likewise, Moerman examines intercultural connections between Islamic and Japanese calligraphy and Western graffiti.

Works
Biography
Jean-Luc Moerman
Untitled, 2013, ink on paper

Jean-Luc Moerman
1967    Born in  Brussels
            lives and works in Bruxelles

 

Collections

Olbricht Collection, Berlin
La Maison Rouge, Paris
Musee d'Art Modern, Luxemburg
Musee d'Ixelles, Brussels
Musee des Beaux-Arts, Calais
MOCA, Shanghai
The Flag Art Foundation, NYC
Vanhaerents Collection, Brussels


Exhibitions 

2022

Modes of Existence, Pascal Janssens Galerie, Gent, Belgium

2021

Ligne de Vie, Mont-de-Piété, Brussels, Belgium

Revisiting Belgian Master Artists, Belgian Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

2019

Intervention SEE-U, Belgium

2018

NCA, Tokyo, Japan

Ocean Drive, Knokke, Belgium

2017

Reding & Nosbaum, Luxembourg

2016

Docksbruxsel, intervention in situ, Brussels, Belgium

Château de Chimay, Belgium

2015

Louise 186, Brussels, Belgium

Reding & Nosbaum, Luxembourg

2014

Alife, Marie-Christine Gennart, Contemporary Art, Brussels, Belgium

Hybridsky, Place du Carré des Arts, Mons, Belgium

Sportcomplex Drieburcht, Tilburg, Holland

2013
Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo,
Venice Biennale 2013; Palazzo Widmann (group show)

Transgenerationconnection, Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève, Paris, France

Transgenerationconnections, Galerie Leu, Munich, Germany

2012

Reding & Nosbaum, Luxembourg

Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Summer Project, Villa Knokke, Knokke Heist, Belgium 

Galerie Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubaï

2011

Eastmen Gallery, Hasselt, Belgium

Transconnecting Tatoos, Venice Projects Gallery, Venice, Italy

2010

Reding & Nosbaum, Luxembourg

Galerie Leu, Munich, Germany

ADN Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

Works on Paper, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels, Belgium

2009

Galerie Magda Danysz, Bund 18, Shangaï, China

2008

Connecting Everything, BPS22, Charleroi, Belgium

60th Longchamp anniversary in Soho shop (curator : Jeffrey Deitch), NY, USA

Connectingthings IV, Nosbaum & Reding, Luxembourg

Connectingthings III, Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan

2007

Connectingthings II, Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève, Paris, France

Connectingthings, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels

2006

Atomic Hybrid Space, L'Atomium, Brussels, Belgium

Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels, Belgium

2006 
Atomic Hybrid Space, L'Atomium, Bruxelles

2005 
Art Basel, Optimus Hut, Art Unlimited, Basel
Suzanne Tarasieve, Paris, Fr
Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo, JP
Witzenhausen, Rotterdam, NL
2004 
La Criée centre d'art contemporain, Rennes, France
Alimentation Générale, Luxembourg
2003  
Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Bruxelles

2002  
Alimentation Générale, Luxembourg

2001 
Intervention sur la rotonde du Botanique et la façade du Cirque Royal,
dans le cadre des "Nuits du Botanique", Bruxelles
2000  
Galerie Taché-Lévy, Bruxelles
1999 
Galerie Détour, Jambes
1998 
Galerie Bernard Cats, Bruxelles

 

Group Shows

 

2022

Marat Assassiné - "Inner Vision", Musée Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique

2021

Iconic, Belgian Gallery, Namur, Belgium

Uncensored, Belgian Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

BIPOLAR, Belgian Gallery, Knokke, Belgium

NCA Nichido Contemporary Art ,Tokyo ,Japan

Meurant / Moerman Phase 2 Galerie Didier Devillier ,Belgium

2020
Meurant / Moerman Phase 1 Galerie Didier Devillier ,Belgium
2019
Prizme, Gembloux, Belgium
2018
Strokar Inside, Brussels, Belgium
Art Truc-Troc Tatoo ,Brussels,Belgium
2017
Small scenes, NCA, Tokyo, Japan
Dynasty, Mont des Arts, Brusels, Belgium
2015
Canvas, West Palm Beach outdoor Museum show, Miami, USA
Summertime, Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève, Paris, France
Black and White, Multifarious, Galerie Leu, Munich
Sneakers, Centre Albert Marinus, Brussels, Belgium
I Belgi. Barbari e Poeti, Macro (Musée d'Art Moderne), Roma, Italy and Musée d'Art Moderne de la ville de Bruxelles, Belgique

2014
Resonance(s) - Maison Particulière, Brussels

2013
The Unusual Belgian Poetry - Emmeotto, Rome
Young Collectors - Maison Particulière, Brussels
Why not live for Art? II - 9 collectors reveal their treasures - Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo
10 is more than a number - ADN Galeria, Barcelona
Sex, Money and Power - Maison Particulière, Brussels
2012
Darkaesth - Drawing Cabinet - Anyspace Gallery, Brussels
Glissement de terrain : Impertinence-Résistance-Survivance - Musée Ianchelevici, La Louvière
Pop-up, Liens artistiques - Musée d'Ixelles, Brussels
Safari - le lieu unique, Nantes
Overlook - Galerie Magda Danysz - Shanghai, Shanghai
Overlook - Galerie Magda Danysz - Shanghai, Shanghai
among others - Galerie Leu, Munich
2011
Vertigo 5 - Venice Projects, Venice
Paris Forever 100th exhibition of the gallery - Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris
mémoires du futur - la collection Olbricht - La Maison Rouge, Paris
Explosition. Brussels Graffiti Art - Musée d'Ixelles, Brussels
Glasstress 2011 - Glasstress, Venice
Sympathy for the Devil - Vanhaerents Art Collection, Brussels

 2010
Lebenslust und Totentanz, The Olbricht Collection
Kunsthalle Krems, Austria

2009 
Animamix Biennale, MoCA, Shangaï, China
Chinoiseries, Centre Albert Marinus, Bruxelles
Identity 5Ò, Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
Dark Summer, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Bruxelles
Plus belle la vie, Espace à vendre, Nice
2008 
Dialog, Galerie Leu, Munich, Allemagne
Wall Rockets, the Flag Fondation, NY
Honorons Honoré, De garage, Centre culturel de Mechelen, Belgique
Out of Storage I, Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Mudam Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Work on paper, Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japon
2007 
Wall Rockets: contemporary artists and Ed Ruscha, flag collection New York, Laura Reynolds Gallery Austin, Galerie Sprüth-Magers Cologne
Les plaisirs d'Edo, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Calais
2007 
My Sweet Sixteen Party, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen
2006 
Public Image, Fundament Fondation, Tilburg, Holland
Identity, Nichido Contemporary Art, Tokyo
Echigotsumari triennale Japon, fukutake house, Japon
2005 
La Beauté de l'Enfer, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Bruxelles
Krinzinger project, Brussels south airport , Vienne
Atelier Cardenas Bellanger, Paris
Printemps de Septembre, Toulouse
2003 
Dexia, Luxembourg.
Réalisation d'une peinture murale interne pour la Communauté
Française de Belgique au BPS 22 à Charleroi.
2002 
The Flying Cow Project, Bruxelles
Ici et maintenant… Belgium System, Tours & Taxis, Bruxelles
Usage Externe, Bruxelles
2001 
Galerie Art&Com, Brussels
Galerie Triangle Bleu, "instinct way", Stavelot
"ici et maintenant", Tour et Taxi, Brussels
Galerie Usage Externe, Brussels
2000 
Espace BBL, Liège
Espace Jacquemotte, Bruxelles
1999
The Flying Cow Project, Bruxelles
1997 
Portfolio, La Lettre Volée, Bruxelles
1995 
Je tatouer, Galerie Damasquine, Bruxelles

 

 

Exhibitions
Bibliography
Jean-Luc Moerman
Untitled, 2013, ink on paper

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2008  
Connecting Everything, (texte P.-O. Rollin), Province du Hainaut
2007   
Tokyotransconnecting, Musée des beaux-arts et de la dentelle, Calais
Connecting-things II, (texte Patrice Joly), Ed. Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève
2005  
Œuvre et lieu, essais et documents, Flammarion
The Art of Jean-Luc Moerman, ULTRAMAGNETIC BOOKS (interview : Hans Ulrich Obrist)
Magie Blanche,édition Galerie Suzanne Tarasiève (texte de Robert Fleck