I
d o n ' t
h a v e
a
u t o p i a

[ quoted
from
memory ]

 

"QUOTED FROM MEMORY" (1966 -2023)

This is a selection of reconstructed experiences. It is clearly not a manifesto. It does not impose standards or formulate a program. I do not even suggest a form in which my work is to function socially. In this respect I make a complete break with my earlier work (1966 - 1980) that had to comply with a certain pattern of consumption and in which a great deal of prominence was given to the illusionist aspect. What I'm interested in is the extent to which my memory has become the reflection of a new spatial experience. Whether I have built an absorbing visual structure is, in the first place, irrelevant.

The concept of a "memory space" (the spaciousness of thinking) sets the real physical space against my own innermost space.   "Thinking" functions via limited concepts that may end up in rigorous categorical coding activity which is rather deficient and too poor to comprehensively grasp total experience. I want to impart my art an ontological dimension, i.e. I want to materialize an individual experience into a work of art. My desire to constantly renew and refine my catalogue of experiences calls for the most diverse modes of approach sometimes used simultaneously.



Some pages may be supplemented with text matter. This text however is some kind of profession, a search into the various meanings the work has for myself. The text is to furnish connecting points, it is not an absolute instruction for use. I am fully aware of the fact that the art consumer is likely to interpret this amalgamation of text and image proceeding from its multiple ambiguities and equivocalities and as an artist I'm willing to bear the responsibility for these ambiguities. There is some measure of openness. Strictly speaking any work of art is evidently open and open-ended.  Its meaning may and must always be reconsidered and filled up. As an artist indeed cannot exceed the bounds of his own experience and consequently cannot border and accurately accommodate it in a system of concepts, the influence I can bring to bear is very restricted. I simply miss total control over my stream of consciousness. Therefore I'm far more keenly directed to imperfections and deficiencies of the experience.

I don't have a Utopia.
To be or not to be is out of the question.

 
              __

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS :

1968
"Words", performance, Brussel.

1969
Stadsfeestzaal, Mechelen. (Group)

1974 
"CRSN" (Complete Record Sweet Norma), C.C. Strombeek-Bever (One man show).
Casino, Knokke. (Group).

1976
Gebo Art Gallery, Antwerpen. (Group).

1977
IIC Antwerpen (Group).
Scharpoord, Knokke (Group).
Grote Kerk, Goes (Nl) (Group).

1978
Realisme, Galerij Waumans, Sint-Niklaas (One man show).
"Fictive Archeology I" Plan Gallery, Knokke (One man Show).
"Fictive Archeology II" Inter Art Gallery, Lasne (One man Show).
"Fictive Archeology III" Printshop-België, Antwerpen (One man Show).
Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, "Jeune Peinture Belge" Brussel (Group).
"Réalisme et Empreintes", Inter Art Gallery, Lasne (with Bram Bogart, Roger Wittevrongel, Jacques Verduyn).
Casino Kursaal, Oostende (Group).
"2de Biënnale van de Vlaamse Kunst, Hilton Gallery, Brussel (Group).

1979
Work practice Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee.
Faculty Club, Leuven (with Martin Baeyens) Introduction Marcel Duchateau.
Stedelijk Museum, Sint-Niklaas (Group).
Delta Gallery, Brussel (with Frank Mahieu...)
Davidsfonds, Boom. (One man show).
"Container Project", Nationale Plantentuin, Meise (Group, Jan Wellens, Walter Philips).
Internationaal Perscentrum, Brussel (Group).
Bibliothèque Municipale, Strasbourg (Group).
Scharpoord, Knokke (Group).
"Ideoplasma's", Hof ten Blijk, Willebroek. Introduction, Marcel Duchateau. (One Man.)
Stadhuis, Ronse (Group).
Vereniging van het Museum voor Hedendaagse Kunst, Gent (with Yvan Theys, Fons De Vogelaere, Roger Wittevrongel...)
"Lijn en Kleur", KVS, Brussel (with Luc Hoenraet, Jan Verbouwe)

1980
Lithography under the authority of  "V.M.H.K." Vereniging van het Museum voor Hedendaagse Kunt - Gent.
Work practice Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee.
Project "The Kasterlee Superdastric Distance Project", Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee.
"The Superdastric Mile", Avantgarde Gallery, Antwerpen. (One Man.)
Galerij De Cercle, Oostende. (One Man.)
Gemeentelijk Museum, Boom. "Facetten van de ruimte". (One Man.)
"Belgische Grafiek", New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco (Group).
"2de biënnale voor grafische kunst", Tervuren (Group).
Cultureel Centrum, Strombeek-Bever (Group).
De Warande, Turnhout (Group).
Jacob Smits Museum, Mol (Group).
Pallau della Virreina, Barcelona (Group).
Sint-Pietersabdij, Gent (Group).

1981
"Living Windcatcher on Ameland - The Netherlands", a 4 hour windexperience , (with Hinke Roders).
Work practice Frans Masereel Centrum, Kasterlee.
"Living Windcatcher on Ameland", Vrije Universiteit, Brussel (One Man).

1982
"Zeefdruk in Vlaanderen", Internationaal ex-libris centrum, Sint-Niklaas (Group).
Academie voor Schone Kunsten, Dendermonde (Group).
"Gedaanten van het Realisme", Stedelijk Museum, Leuven, Met Wittevrongel, Verduyn, Declerck...

1983
Cultureel Centrum, Dilbeek (with Jan Cremer).


1984
Akademie voor Schone Kunsten, Dendermonde (Group).
Inter Art Gallery, Lasne (Group).

1985
"Plato didn't know..."  Galerij Graphis, Boom. (One Man).
Cultureel Centrum, Waregem (Group).
Gemeentelijk Auditorium, Willebroek, (One man).

1986
La Chambre Forte, Brussel (Group).

1988
"Verdwenen Aarde", Sint-Bernardusabdij, Hemiksem (Group).
"Gemeentelijk Kunstpatrimonium", Cultureel Centrum, Grimbergen (Group)

1990
Lineart, Gent, Editions Van Dyck.
Ros Beiaardzaal, Dendermonde (Group).

1991
"Etudes en sourdine", Gallerie Liehrmann, Liege (Group).

1993
"1+1=1" Museum Sint-Niklaas. (With Walter Brems).

1994
Lineart, HDB Fine-Arts, Gent.
"De grootsheid van het kleine", Kunstforum, Schelderode (Group).

1996
Grafiek, Cultureel Centrum Berlare (with Walter Brems).

1997
Shetland, "Puffins and Skuas", freelance travel photo.

1998
"Melkerij '98", Malderen. (with Bart Jacobs, Walter Brems, Riet Bosch...)
Scotland "Highlands and Skye", freelance travel photo.

1999
"Quoted from Memory", www.rvbulck.com (1.0)
Israël: "Negev Bird Migration", freelance travel photo.
Jordan: "Petra and Wadi Rum", freelance travel photo.
Shetland II "Up to Muckle Fluga", freelance travel photo.

2000
"Colourfields" - BernArt Gallery, Antwerp. (One Man show)
The Gambia I : "Birds of the Gambia", freelance travel photo.

2001
Chromosome 23 Art Gallery, Antwerp.  (One Man Show)
Senegal, freelance travel photo : "Birds of the Saloum Delta"
The Gambia II : "Up River The Gambia", freelance travel photo.

2002
Tunisia, freelance travel photo : "Sahara Desert".
"Quoted from Memory", www.rvbulck.com (1.1)

2003
"Colourfields (after 2K)" - BernArt, The Gallery, Schelle (September/October). (One Man Show)
The Rooms, a preview - BernArt, The Gallery, Schelle (December) (with Peter Landuyt and Adalbert Gans).
Romania : "Birds of the Donau Delta", freelance travel photo.

2004
The Rooms, Refurbished - BernArt, The gallery, Antwerp. (with Peter Landuyt and Adal Gans).
R.V. Bulck  &  Bengt Lindström,  Dasc  Art, Antwerp.
"FRAGILE"  -  A & A Gallery, Hasselt. (with Luc De Meyer, Karin Gielen and Nele Van Hecke)
Sri Lanka, Sinharaja Rain Forest, freelance travel photo.

2005
One man show "Colourfields", Art Depot, Bonheiden.
Greece, "Seasonal Movement" Lesvos Bird Migration, freelance travel photo.

2006
"Pythagoras" BernArt Gallery, Antwerp. (One Man show)
"White Walls"
Spain "Extremadura", freelance travel photo.

2007
India for iStockphoto : "The Art of the Mogol".
Nepal for iStockphoto : "Kathmandu Valley".

2008
Costa Rica for iStockphoto : "Pura Vida"
"Quoted from Memory", www.rvbulck.com (2.0)

2009
Morocco for iStockphoto : "High Atlas Mountain Range".

2010
Creative Contributor at Getty Images,  Seattle - U.S.
Bhutan for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "The Art of the Dragon"
Turkey for iStockphoto and Getty images : "Cappadocian Balloon Ride"
India for iStockphoto and Getty Images : Sikkim "Art of the Mountain" - "Kanchenjunga".

2011
Italy for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "Puglia".

2012
Starting "The End of Mimesis".  100 paintings. "So, in the end there is only White"
China for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "I love sleeping in the water" / "Yangtze River".
France for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "Being Paris"

2013
Admitted as a member of the Dutch Academy of 'Pataphysics (being the exception by accident and therefore the rule, so to speak).
Persisting in the activity of stopping Mimesis in Art.  100 Paintings. "So, in the end there is only White"
India for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "The Art of the Black Drogon".
Art Depot, Bonheiden. (Group: Kamagurka, Frank De Mulder, R.V. Bulck, William Sweetlove.)

2014
"Quoted from Memory" 2.1
Turkey for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "Halikarnassos"
Greece for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "Hippocrates of Cos".
Peru for iStockphoto and Getty Images : "Inca Orchid / El Perro, the hairless dog".

________________________________________________

Belgium, °1947.
Lives in Louvain.

 

AWARDED:

Prize "Jeune Peinture Belge", Brussel 1977.
Gold Medal "Europe Prize for Painting", Oostende 1978.
International Prize for Painting Grimbergen, 1979.
Honorable Mentions :
"IIC-Arts Prize for Painting", Antwerpen 1977.
"Prize Hoppeland for Painting", Poperinge 1978.
"Prize 't Getij for painting", Antwerpen 1978.
"Prize Boechout for painting", 1978.
"Prize Lions International for painting", Knokke 1979.

 

Teaches at the Royal Academy of Art, Dendermonde - Belgium. (1979 - 2002)
Creative Contibutor  at Getty Images.  (2010...)
Exclusive Contributor at iStockphoto. (2008...)

E. BENEZIT, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs.
Edition Gründ 1999, Tome 2, pag. 945.