Serge le Belge

French-speaking Belgian by birth, I’ve been living in Ireland since 1992. I am self-taught,
and I began to paint professionally in 1989, after 10 years of political activism in the radical peace movement. I started out as a silk painter, and have since expanded my range of media to all forms of painting, sculpture, street arts, scenic arts, music and poetry.
I think my work is best appreciated in informal, non-institutional settings, where I try to blur the distance between the viewer and the artwork.
My craving for collective expression flourishes in the performing arts and community-based
artistic projects, but I cherish equally the solitude of studio practice!
Given my Belgian background, I have been deeply influenced by surrealism and symbolism.
In my studio work, geometrical painting and modelling alternate with figurative representations of more realistic worlds, where open, desolate spaces constitute a perfect
background for poetic and symbolic visual compositions.

Art exhibitions

 

2018 The Half Light Gallery, Midleton Group exhibition
2017 The Half Light Gallery, Midleton Group exhibition
2016 Cork School of Music Group exhibition
2012 Camden Palace Community Arts Centre Solo retrospective exhibition
2011 Solstice, Cork Group exhibition
2011 Art Trail, Cork Group exhibition
2010 Gallows Project, Old Ford Factory, Cork Group exhibition
2010 Art Trail, Cork Group exhibition
2009 Art Trail, Cork Group exhibition
2008 Outlaw Artists’ Studios, Cork Group exhibition
2006 Triskel Arts Centre, Cork Group exhibition
2006 Courtyard Gallery, Midleton, Co. Cork Solo exhibition
2006 Gallery 44, Cork Solo exhibition
2005 Courtyard Gallery, Midleton, Co. Cork Solo exhibition
2005 Iontas, Sligo Art Gallery Group exhibition
2003 Cork City Museum Group exhibition
2003 Gallery 44, Cork Solo exhibition
2003 Art Trail, Cork Group exhibition
2003 Fota House, Co. Cork Group exhibition
2002 Art Trail, Cork Group exhibition
2001 Tig Filí, Cork Group exhibition
2000 Courtyard Gallery, Midleton, Co. Cork Group exhibition
1998 Blackcombe Gallery, Cork Solo exhibition

Curriculum Vitae

 

August 2021 Street artist Create project, Coal Quay, Cork Community mural 
Summer 2021 Visual artist Lacuna Arts Festival Exhibition and online collaborative works
Summer 2020 Street artist Family Resource Centre, Carrigtwohill Mural
Summer 2018 Street artist Wallis Pub, Midleton Mural
Nov. 2018 Text published Creative Ireland Programme ‘Pana’ in A Journey Called Home (book) 
Dec. 2018 Street performance Triangle Productions Glow 2018 medieval village
2018 to now Scenic artist Triangle Productions Set painting for various Cork theatres
Oct. 2018 Street artist Kiosk at St Luke’s Cross, Cork. Mural
2017-2018 Textile designer Timbasilks.com Production of hand-made silk accessories
2017-2018 Set builder Triangle Productions Theatre and TV sets
2016-2018 Production manager Dowtcha Puppets Company Production manager for St Patrick’s Day parades, part-time
2016 Actor Makeshift Ensemble ‘Utopia’
2014-2016 Fire sculpture workshops Mahon Youth Club Workshops with teenagers from the Traveller community
2012 Scenic artist Camden Palace Street murals
2012-2013 Staff member, then board member Camden Palace Community Arts Centre Management, bookkeeping, events organisation
2009-2011 Musician “The Shed” Bass player and percussionist
2008-2009 Board member Art Trail, contemporary arts festival Management, bookkeeping, events organisation
2007-2016 Founding member Outlaw Artists’ Studios, Cork. Day-to-day management, organising exhibitions
2006-2007 Silk-painting classes Mayfield Community School Part-time art classes for adults
2005 to 2018 Float and props maker Dowtcha Puppets Company Building floats and props for parades in Cork and Dublin.  Seasonal work
2002-2012 Theatre set builder Corcadorca, Everyman Palace, Opera House Part-time builder of theatre sets 
2002-2006 Silk-painting classes and puppet-making workshops for children Various locations, Cork
2002 to now Visual artist Painter, sculptor, fabric designer. 
More than 25 solo and group exhibitions.
2002 Associated artist  Cork Community Art Link  Supervisor of volunteers, builder, performer
2001-2002 Office worker  Corcadorca Theatre Company Coordinator of volunteer cast, fundraiser, stage assistant
2000-2001 Musician Institute for Choreography and Dance, Cork Multicultural music and dance workshops
2000-2001 Musician Multi-cultural drumming group African, Asian, European multicultural music performances
1999-2000 Cabinet maker Imago Alternatives, Cork Maker of contemporary office and home furniture
1992-1999 Textile designer Sergi Silks Own business of hand-made textile accessories