Born in Hal,
Belgium, in 1914.
He starts working
at the age of 16, but is already an artist in his soul.
He works at a foundry,
with metal and bronze.
Meanwhile, he devotes
himself to painting and personal experiences.
In 1930, he begins
to follow all avant-garde artistic manifestations.
Among others, he
admires Permeke and Van Den Berghe.
Even during his
time as a prisoner at a labor camp during World War II, he keeps
his dream alive each time he finds paper and a pencil.
Starting out from
Flemish expressionism, he evolves to abstract art and his encounter with
Servranckx makes him discover his own way.
In 1948, he starts
exhibiting his work.
Short period of
studies at the "Académie des Beaux-Arts" in Brussels. He is mostly
a self-taught artist.
In 1956, he exhibits
in Spain ( Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Palma).
Since 1957, he resides
in Paris. Summer house in Ardèche (France).
In 1960, he starts
experimenting with metal, being convinced that our era needs its own pictorial
means.
Numerous trips within
Europe, the United States and Canada.
He is invited by
the French government to the World Exposition in Montreal.
In 1969, he is invited
by the group E.A.T. (Experiments in Art and Technology), founded in the
United States by Billy Klüver and Rauschenberg. At the same time,
he exhibits in Brooklyn and at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
In 1973, Guillaume
Leunens' exhibition of his art collection at the Cultural Center of the
Province of Antwerp is acknowledged by the B.A.A.C. (Belgian Association
of Art Critics) as the best exhibition of the month.
In 1975, Guillaume
Leunens participates in the "Biennale de la critique d'art", first at the
"Palais des Beaux-Arts de Charleroi" (March-April) then at the "Abbaye
Saint-Pierre " in Ghent (May - June).
In 1984-1985, he
exhibits for the Flemish "Les Beaux-Arts" commission.
Guillaume Leunens
died in 1990.
Translated from French