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Biography

Michel Smekens was born in 1963, on March 6th, in Ottignies in Belgium. He has been drawing for many years. From primary school to the university, he illustred his exercise books and syllabi with his drawings.

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He creates a very personal and significant art and evolves with the times. During three periods,  he passed from a black expressionistic drawing in " blind " works by gradually mixing the color when it became necessary to his artistic vision.

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After studies in Political sciences at the Catholic University of Leuven (UCL) to Louvain-la-Neuve and in International law at the University Libre of Bruxelles (ULB) from 1982 till 1988 then in Marketing from 1995 till 1998 to the Groep T- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) to Leuven, he studied at the School of Fine Arts to Leuven in Kunstacademie – De Slac from 1998 till 2008 wich he combined with  a post-graduat in art at Wisper from 2006 through 2007.

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In 2005, he organized his first group exhibition « Isabelle Poseert ? » and  since 2008 his artwork « Ik wil, je veux » has been displayed to the Palace of Fine Arts of Bruxelles from May through June during the first Collection Canvas. That year he also began his first gallery exhibition in gallery from June, 2008, Création 29, Vlaamse Kaai to Antwerpen in Belgium.

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Since August 2015, he has lived and worked in France and today he already has totaled more than 47 exhibitions in France, in Belgium, in Italy and in Spain.

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Over many years, he has developed a contemporary and expressionistic art which consists of a black drawing evolving into brilliant color, accomplished through a mixed technique allying drawing blind, colors and performances. He creates according to his inspiration in charcoal, India ink, watercolor and any material available to hand.

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Exhibitions already realized :

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  1. Exhibition "Isabelle poseert ?" Zolder, Romaanse Poort, Leuven, Belgium, may 20 to 29, 2005

  2. Exhibition "Centrale Werkplaatsen", Leuven, Belgium, may, 2006

  3. Exhibition "E-atelier", SDworx, Antwerpen, Belgium,  may 10 to 24, 2007

  4. Exhibition "Asha", Leuven, Belgium,  october 5 to  25, 2007

  5. Exhibition "BOZART EXPO", Canvascollectie, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Bruxelles, Belgium,
    may 23 – june 22, 2008

  6. Exhibition, Resident artist  to "Galerie Création", Vlaamsekai 8, Antwerpen, Belgium,
    may 2008 -december 2009.

  7. Exhibition "MIX 05/2008", Op-Weule, Woluwe, Belgium, may 30 – june 22, 2008

  8. Exhibition "4MEN 4 ELE-MEN-TS", Tweebronnen, Leuven, Belgium, 30 april 2009 – 20 may 2009

  9. Exhibition "Il était une fois… un merveilleux pays", La ferme du Prince, Jurbize, Belgium,
    october 16 to  30, 2009

  10.  Exhibition "Happy New Art", 4000 Liège, Belgium, december 26 to 30, 2009

  11. Exhibition "Art and more", solo exhibition, 3840 Borgloon, Belgium, february 27 – march 21, 2010

  12. Exhibition "Culture pour tous", 4851 Gemmenich, Belgium, 16 & 17 october 2010

  13. Solo exhibition "Michel Smekens", Week-end du Livre, Redu, Libin, Belgium, may 28  &  29, 2011

  14. Exhibition "Les Corbenois ont du talent !", Salle de la Prairie, Saint-Germain, may 5  & 6, 2016
    du Corbéis, France

  15. Solo Exhibition "IMAGinE revue d’Art à Saint-Germain du Corbéis", june 18 2016, Salle
    les Tilleuls, Saint-Germain du Corbéis, France

  16. Exhibition "De têtes en caps", Saint-Germain du Corbéis, France, september 3 to 11, 2016.

  17. Exhibition "Festi’Arts", Moliets et Maâ, France, in the municipality of Azur, Espace François Mitterrand, october 22 & 23, 2016

  18. Exhibition "De caps en couleurs", Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis, France, november 26 & 27, 2016

  19. Solo exhibition "Hoo"Médiathèque d’Alençon, France, january 6  to 21, 2017.

  20. Solo exhibition  "M comme…", 9 rue des Bruyères, 61000 Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis, France,
    february 4 & 5, 2017

  21. Solo exhibition "Le noir vous va si bien" dans Espace d’exposition du Syndicat d’Initiative de la ville de Mamers et du Saosnois, Mamers, France, March 4 mars - april 4, 2017

  22. Solo exhibition "Histoire d’eau", Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis, France, April 14 to 17, 2017 

  23. Solo exhibition "Lib’Art", Saint-Germain-du-Corbéis, France, June 2 to 6, 2017

  24. Exhibition "Arts Vagabonds", Saint-Félix-en-Lauragais, solo exhibition in the chapelle du Domaine d’En Pastré, Roumens, France, september 8  to 10, 2017. 

  25. Exhibition Estanqu’Arts, Moliets-et-Maâ, France, october 28 & 29, 2017.

  26. Solo exhibition "De couleurs en partages", march 31 - may 2, 2018 in l’annexe and in Café Littéraire
    "La Reduiste", to Redu (6890 Libin), Belgium

  27. Exhibition "Art Graulhet 2018" in galerie éphémère, Graulhet, France, july 7  to 22, 2018

  28. Exhibition "Débal’Art", july 22, 2018, Graulhet, France.

  29. Exhibition "Forum des Arts et de la Culture 2018 de Sélestat", Sélestat, France, august 19, 2018.

  30. Exhibition "Forum Européen des Arts et des Cultures 2018 de Sélestat", 1 Quai de l'Ill, galerie des Tanzmatten, 67600 Sélestat, France, august 24 to  26, 2018.

  31. Exhibition during the "9ème Parcours d'Artistes de Belœil" at Saint Vincent school, Beloeil, Belgium on the Saturday and Sunday september 8 & 9, 2018.

  32. Exhibition during the Artists Course of the "53èmes Fêtes de la Saint-Martin de Tourinnes-la-Grosse",   Nodebais, Belgium, November 4  to 25, 2018

  33. Solo exhibition "Art e(s)t sens" in Café Littéraire "Casanova Caffé", Toulouse, France, March 15 - April 19, 2019. During the exhibition, Michel spent monday, april 15th, 2019 his public performance at the World Day of Art IAA.

  34. Exhibition at "Art Pluriel Rive Droite gallery", Saint-Etienne, France, September 1 to 19, 2020.

  35. Exhibition at Sonia Monti gallery, Paris, France, October 5, 2020 - March 25, 2021.

  36. Exhibition "Phìlo-Poèm", gallery M.A.D.S., Milan, Italy, May 21 to 31, 2021.

  37. Solo exhibition at the 19th edition of "L'Art s'invite à Magrie", Magrie in the region of Carcassone, France, October 1 to 3, 2021.

  38. ​Exhibition "Si deux souris me pelotent, je suis fait comme un rat" of the association Loi 1901 Duo d'art on the occasion of the centenary of Brassens organized by the agglopôle of Sète city, Bateau Le Roquerols, Sète, France, October 5 to 13, 2021

  39. Exhibition at the XIIIth Florence Biennale at the Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy, October 23 to 31, 2021

  40. Exhibition "Pretty perv", M.A.D.S. Gallery, Milan, Italy and Fuerteventura, Spain, The Canary Islands, September 28 - october 4, 2022.

  41. Exhibition during the 4th Barcelona Biennale "International Prize Barcelona", MEAM of Barcelona (European Museum of Modern Art), Gomis Palace, 08003 Barcelona, Spain, November 18 to 20, 2022.

  42. Exhibition during the 10th edition of Art Fusion "Rêves d'artistes", Palais des Congrès, Perpignan, France, February 13 to 22, 2023

  43. Solo exhibition "De scènes en ville", Le Theil-sur-Huisne - Val-au-Perche, France, June 26 - July 2, 2023

  44. Exhibition during the Artists Course of the "57èmes Fêtes de la Saint-Martin de Tourinnes-la-Grosse", 1st Wing Historical Center, Beauvechain, Belgium, November 5 to 26, 2023

  45. Exhibition during the 11th edition of Art Fusion "Rêves d'artistes", Palais des Congrès, Perpignan, France, February 5 to 14, 2024 

  46. Solo exhibition "(H)Ors d'œuvres" at Ariane H., Nodebais, Belgium, June 1, 2, 8 & 9, 2024 ​

  47. Solo exhibition "Hé Mans cité", L'Ephémère Gallery, Le Mans, France, July 2 to 28, 2024

  48. Exhibition "Whispers of the Beyond: A Celebration of Life", Laura Notari Art & Design Studio/Gallery, Hilversum, The Netherlands, from 26 October - 7 November 2024

  49. Solo exhibition "De scènes en ville II", Le Theil-sur-Huisne - Val-au-Perche, France, November 18 - December 1, 2024

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