André Dekeijser

• Name — André Dekeijser • Birth Name — André Dekeijser • Born — 1 August 1924 • Birthplace — Brussels, Belgium • Died — 9 December 2013 • Place of death — Brussels, Belgium • Field — sculpture • Illustration — Large bronze, 1975

André Dekeijser lived in Port-Francqui (Ilebo/Congo), from 1926 to 1929, before moving back to Belgium. He quickly developed his artistic talent and studied graphic arts at the Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles. After the Second World War, he worked for several years in the ceramics workshop of Alexandre Geufanstein before heading off in search of his (deceased) father's legacy in the Congo in 1952. There, he worked at the Geographical Institute of the Belgian Congo (I.G.C.B.). During this period, he created his first sculptures which were exhibited in Kinshasa in 1957. The influence of African art was already apparent in his work. André Dekeijser started a family and returned to Belgium for 2 years where he worked as the cartographer of the provincial domain of Mirwart. Soon after he left with his wife and two children for an adventure in São Paulo, Brazil. Upon his return 3 years later he decided to dedicate himself to sculpture. He joined his friend André Eijberg before establishing a workshop of his own where he returned to terracotta and patinas and began experimenting with new materials like blocks of Ytong (aerated concrete), whose low price allowed him to create oversized pieces. He also worked with wood and stone and began casting work in bronze, polishing some parts and creating patinas on others.

Having manipulated terracotta, wood, stone and Y'tong, André Dekeijser focused on copper and bronze. The polishing and application of patinas on bronze pieces increased their relief and rendered them tactile. His first monumental pieces were created in copper. He cut, soldered and applied patinas to red copper creating larger formats whose intertwining shapes evoke the notion of the couple. In order to ascertain pieces could withstand enlargement, small clay or wax models were submitted to a test of a series of figurines diminishing in size. Having constructed several homes in the Congo and Brazil with his own hands, André Dekeijser created the project and built the model of a sculpture-home that was never completed despite the genuine interest of several architects. He also used his artistic talent to illustrate a textbook for students on the practice and techniques of Osteopathy. For his own pleasure he drew several comic strips with no intention of publishing. He also created bronze and silver jewelry using the lost-wax casting process.

• 1957: First exhibition in Kinshasa • 1966: Gallery Egmont at the Petit Sablon • 1969: Galerie "Le rempart" • 1971: Galerie "Arcanes" and " Centre du Bâtiment" in Brussels. • 1971: A large copper piece " Grandes formes couchées nr. 2 " installed between the rue d'Arlon and the rue de Trève. • 1972: Acquisition of a piece for the hanging gardens of the Manhattan Center (Brussels) • Works acquired by the Belgian government as well as Belgian and foreign private collections • 1972: Sculpture in the city: [Exhibition] • 1975: Open-air sculptures: Contemporary Belgian sculptors: [Exhibition] • 1980: The commune of Watermael-Boitsfort acquired "Formes dans l'espace nr. 10" • 1982: The commune of Watermael-Boitsfort acquires "Formes dans l'espace nr. 5" a large bronze exposed dans in the hall of "La maison de la culture" of Boitsfort. • 1984: Exhibition at "La Vénerie", Culturel center of Watermael-Boitsfort, 15.11 1984 – 02.12 1984 • 1990: Participant, 6 PHOTOGRAPHERS AND 6 SCULPTORS A LA VENERIE • 2016: “COUPLES” Retrospective 1958 – 1986 Sculptures 19 November 2015 to 9 January 2016