Emile Hecq
1924 - 2009
Hecq's career began in the 1940s, a period in which he took his first steps in the art world by attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Mons. After completing his studies in 1947, his first solo exhibition took place in Mons in 1948. The lyrical abstraction of the 1950s bordered on a dramatic expressiveness that would dominate the artist's work from then on. After absorbing influences from Picasso, particularly in his expressionist aspects, Hecq individually evolved towards a colorful Expressionism that, in some respects, remained in the vein of the Flemish tradition.
He participated in the Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur temps in 1957 and Réalités Nouvelles in 1967. He also took part in numerous group exhibitions, including one organized by Françoise Monin, "Rencontres – Cinquante ans de collages," at the Galerie Claudine Lustman in 1991 and exhibitions of the Gruppo 109. He had several solo exhibitions, starting from 1948 in Mons, Paris, Galerie Creuze (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957), Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (1956), and Palais des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi (1975). Of notable significance were his solo exhibitions at the Heidelberg Museum in 1980 and the Mons Museum of Fine Arts in 1985.
He participated in the Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur temps in 1957 and Réalités Nouvelles in 1967. He also took part in numerous group exhibitions, including one organized by Françoise Monin, "Rencontres – Cinquante ans de collages," at the Galerie Claudine Lustman in 1991 and exhibitions of the Gruppo 109. He had several solo exhibitions, starting from 1948 in Mons, Paris, Galerie Creuze (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957), Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (1956), and Palais des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi (1975). Of notable significance were his solo exhibitions at the Heidelberg Museum in 1980 and the Mons Museum of Fine Arts in 1985.
Hecq's career began around the 1940s when he took his first steps in the world of art by attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Mons. After completing his studies in 1947, he held his first solo exhibition in Mons in 1948. From that year onwards, he decided to continue his artistic journey in France by enrolling at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, which was still the heart of the art world in Europe at the time. The lyrical abstraction of the 1950s marked a dramatic shift in the artist's work. Paris was a turning point for him, and his collaboration with Émile Vinot, his gallery owner, played a significant role.
During this period, he stayed in places like Argelès-sur-Mer, Collioure, and later on the Île de Ré, where he purchased a dilapidated house in the village of Loix and transformed it into a studio-residence. He lived there from 1950 to 1953, dividing his time between Paris and Loix.
After absorbing influences from Picasso, particularly in his expressionistic aspects, Hecq evolved individually toward a colorful Expressionism that, in some ways, remained rooted in Flemish tradition. The artwork in question is an exceptional canvas by Hecq, inaugurating a new style by forsaking the decorative linearity that characterized his work from 1954 in Île de Ré. The breakdown of form and the reduction of elements that identified the subject highlighted the material and color work, with white being richly used as a contrast.
Hecq participated in the Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur temps in 1957 and Réalités Nouvelles in 1967. He also took part in numerous group exhibitions, including one organized by Françoise Monin, "Rencontres – Cinquante ans de collages," at the Galerie Claudine Lustman in 1991 and exhibitions of the Gruppo 109. He had several solo exhibitions, starting from 1948 in Mons, Paris, and various other locations.
After living in Paris until 1975, Hecq relocated to Sempy in northern France, Pas-de-Calais, while remaining faithful to Île de Ré. He later settled in Bois-Plage-en-Ré.
Hecq never ceased to explore new artistic horizons, primarily working on large canvases that he placed on the ground, delving into various themes until their exhaustion: stark landscapes (1954-56), monumental figures rendered with dense and pasty materials (1963), and abstract subjects (1977). His versatility also led him to create collages and bold compositions, such as the Imbricats series from 1987 to 1991, in which he incorporated objects collected from beaches, entangled in color and material. Notable were his solo exhibitions at the Heidelberg Museum in 1980 and the Mons Museum of Fine Arts in 1985.
Solo exhibitions:
Galerie du Sagittaire, Mons, Belgio, 1948
Galerie Raymond Creuze, Paris, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959
Galerie Apollo, Bruxelles, 1956
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, 1956
Galerie Di Méo, Paris, 1962
Galerie Joël France, Paris, 1968
Galerie Sisley, Paris, 1974, 1975, 1976
Palais des Beaux-Arts, Charleroi, 1975
Émile Hecq, vingt ans de peinture, Balcon des Arts, Paris, 1979
Auberge du Caillou-sur-Bique, Roisin, 1976
Musée du textile, Heidelberg, Germania, 1980
Palais de l'Europe (présentation de Jean-Louis Ferrier), Le Touquet, 1980
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, musée des beaux-arts de Mons, 1985
Émile Hecq, aquarelles, Fédération du textile de la Province du Hainaut, Mons, 1986
Atelier Lord (présentation de Pascal Payen-Appenzeller), Paris, 1989
Hecq pleine sève, galerie de la Corraterie, Genève, 1989
Centre culturel de la Somme (présentation de Gérard Xuriguera), Amiens, 1990
Galerie Claudine Lustman, Paris, 1991, 1992
Galerie Contrast, Lille, 1992
Galerie Jean-Pierre Carlier, Le Touquet, 1992, 1993
Galerie 26, Paris, 1993
Contrast Galerie, Bruxelles, 1993
Émile Hecq, cinquante ans de peinture (présentation de la galerie Jean-Pierre Carlier), Palais de l'Europe, Le Touquet, 1995
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, Usine « L'Enchantement simple », Aubervilliers, 1997
Galerie Les Cimaises, Aéroport d'Orly-Ouest, 2000
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, galerie Bernaerts, Anvers, 2000
Galerie Alternance (Guy Lignier), Hardelot, 2014
De Loix au Bois, l'odyssée d'Émile Hecq, Saint-Martin de Ré, musée Ernest-Cognacq, juin 2013
Group exhibitions:
Salon des peintres témoins de leur temps, Paris, 1957
Salon des réalités nouvelles, Paris, 1967
Cinquante ans de collage, galerie Claudine Lustman, Paris, 1991
St. Art - Foire européenne d'art contemporain (stand Galerie Pierre Audet, Colmar) parc des expositions de Strasbourg, novembre 2013
Festival d'arts actuels de l'île de Ré, 5 au 7 juin 2015.
Museums where his works are preserved:
Bruxelles, Collections du ministère de la Communauté française de Belgique;
Hainaut (Province du), Belgio, La Louvière;
Heidelberg, Germania, Heidelberger Kunstverein;
Mons, Belgio, Musée des Beaux-Arts;
Parigi, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville.
During this period, he stayed in places like Argelès-sur-Mer, Collioure, and later on the Île de Ré, where he purchased a dilapidated house in the village of Loix and transformed it into a studio-residence. He lived there from 1950 to 1953, dividing his time between Paris and Loix.
After absorbing influences from Picasso, particularly in his expressionistic aspects, Hecq evolved individually toward a colorful Expressionism that, in some ways, remained rooted in Flemish tradition. The artwork in question is an exceptional canvas by Hecq, inaugurating a new style by forsaking the decorative linearity that characterized his work from 1954 in Île de Ré. The breakdown of form and the reduction of elements that identified the subject highlighted the material and color work, with white being richly used as a contrast.
Hecq participated in the Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur temps in 1957 and Réalités Nouvelles in 1967. He also took part in numerous group exhibitions, including one organized by Françoise Monin, "Rencontres – Cinquante ans de collages," at the Galerie Claudine Lustman in 1991 and exhibitions of the Gruppo 109. He had several solo exhibitions, starting from 1948 in Mons, Paris, and various other locations.
After living in Paris until 1975, Hecq relocated to Sempy in northern France, Pas-de-Calais, while remaining faithful to Île de Ré. He later settled in Bois-Plage-en-Ré.
Hecq never ceased to explore new artistic horizons, primarily working on large canvases that he placed on the ground, delving into various themes until their exhaustion: stark landscapes (1954-56), monumental figures rendered with dense and pasty materials (1963), and abstract subjects (1977). His versatility also led him to create collages and bold compositions, such as the Imbricats series from 1987 to 1991, in which he incorporated objects collected from beaches, entangled in color and material. Notable were his solo exhibitions at the Heidelberg Museum in 1980 and the Mons Museum of Fine Arts in 1985.
Solo exhibitions:
Galerie du Sagittaire, Mons, Belgio, 1948
Galerie Raymond Creuze, Paris, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959
Galerie Apollo, Bruxelles, 1956
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, 1956
Galerie Di Méo, Paris, 1962
Galerie Joël France, Paris, 1968
Galerie Sisley, Paris, 1974, 1975, 1976
Palais des Beaux-Arts, Charleroi, 1975
Émile Hecq, vingt ans de peinture, Balcon des Arts, Paris, 1979
Auberge du Caillou-sur-Bique, Roisin, 1976
Musée du textile, Heidelberg, Germania, 1980
Palais de l'Europe (présentation de Jean-Louis Ferrier), Le Touquet, 1980
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, musée des beaux-arts de Mons, 1985
Émile Hecq, aquarelles, Fédération du textile de la Province du Hainaut, Mons, 1986
Atelier Lord (présentation de Pascal Payen-Appenzeller), Paris, 1989
Hecq pleine sève, galerie de la Corraterie, Genève, 1989
Centre culturel de la Somme (présentation de Gérard Xuriguera), Amiens, 1990
Galerie Claudine Lustman, Paris, 1991, 1992
Galerie Contrast, Lille, 1992
Galerie Jean-Pierre Carlier, Le Touquet, 1992, 1993
Galerie 26, Paris, 1993
Contrast Galerie, Bruxelles, 1993
Émile Hecq, cinquante ans de peinture (présentation de la galerie Jean-Pierre Carlier), Palais de l'Europe, Le Touquet, 1995
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, Usine « L'Enchantement simple », Aubervilliers, 1997
Galerie Les Cimaises, Aéroport d'Orly-Ouest, 2000
Rétrospective Émile Hecq, galerie Bernaerts, Anvers, 2000
Galerie Alternance (Guy Lignier), Hardelot, 2014
De Loix au Bois, l'odyssée d'Émile Hecq, Saint-Martin de Ré, musée Ernest-Cognacq, juin 2013
Group exhibitions:
Salon des peintres témoins de leur temps, Paris, 1957
Salon des réalités nouvelles, Paris, 1967
Cinquante ans de collage, galerie Claudine Lustman, Paris, 1991
St. Art - Foire européenne d'art contemporain (stand Galerie Pierre Audet, Colmar) parc des expositions de Strasbourg, novembre 2013
Festival d'arts actuels de l'île de Ré, 5 au 7 juin 2015.
Museums where his works are preserved:
Bruxelles, Collections du ministère de la Communauté française de Belgique;
Hainaut (Province du), Belgio, La Louvière;
Heidelberg, Germania, Heidelberger Kunstverein;
Mons, Belgio, Musée des Beaux-Arts;
Parigi, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville.
