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 |