Jean Pierre Bers Mbalaka "Bers Grandsinge"

Jean Pierre Bers Mbalaka

Bers "great ape", surprising nickname attached to that of Jean Pierre Bers. But this has a history closely linked to the journey of our artist. Jean Pierre Bers, born in the democratic republic of the congo, follows courses at the Academy of Fine Art in Kinshasa before embarking on the discovery of new horizons, first African countries before going to New York. His meeting with Jean Michel Basquiat, artist of Haitian origin, close to the Warhol, Keith Haring, Kool Koor, Franco The great and other painters of the New York scene will be decisive. If Basquiat affectionately affixes this nickname to emphasize his intelligence, he will above all play an important role in guiding Bers' work.

It was in 1985 that Bers moved to Brussels. The first Congolese artist representative of contemporary artistic movements to settle in Europe, Bers explores different fields such as painting, textile design, photography, digital art, music and testifies to an overflowing creativity. His artistic work is immediately echoed by his talent and by a very original technique. His work translates a very singular vision of humanity where Man is in perpetual movement, lives a constant mutation in a changing universe. The artist places himself deliberately in Time and Space, imbued with a cosmic vision. This vision is reflected in the dynamic fluidity of his style.

A few months after his arrival in Brussels, Bers has a first opportunity to present his work. Since then, exhibitions have followed one another ...

Some individual exhibitions:

2015 - Exhibition "No one is a prophet in his country" at the Goldenberg Gallery in Paris (France)
2015 - Exhibition "Le Visionnaire" at the BeautifulArt Gallery in Vichy (France)
2013 - Exhibition "Moyen de Bord", at Galerie Lumière d'Afrique (Belgium)
2005 - Expo at the Fine Art Gallery in Brussels (Belgium)
2004 - System D workshop in Brussels (Belgium)
2003 - System D workshop in Brussels (Belgium)
2002 - System D workshop in Brussels (Belgium)
2000 - EineWelt haus Magdeburg, Magdeburg (Germany)
1999 - Galerie Terre à Risque in Brussels (Belgium)
1999 - Galerie Donker in Antwerp (Belgium)
1997 - Agora Gallery in New York (USA)
1997 - Exhibition "11.11.11" in Kolksijde (Belgium)
1995 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)
1994 - Etterbeek municipal hall (Belgium)
1993 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)
1991 - Harlem Street Gallery International, LTD in New York (USA)
1991 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)
1990 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)
1990 - Exhibition in Soho in New York (USA)
1990 - Galerie "Claudia's Art Gallery" in Brussels (Belgium)
1989 - Jaspée Gallery in Bouillon (Belgium)
1985 - Harlem Street Gallery International, LTD in New York (USA)
1988 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)

Some group exhibitions

2016 - MAG Gallery exhibition in Brussels

2014 - Visiting book exhibition in Brussels (Belgium)
2013 - Exhibition at the AM.I institute in La Louvière (Belgium)
2011 - “50 years 50 artists" Espace-2011 (Belgium) - Palais des Beaux-arts in Brussels (Belgium)
2010 - Focus 10 Basel (Switzerland) - International, African Artfest Visions Art Gallery, Dallas, Texas (USA)

2008 - 2nd edition of the Contemporary African Art Fair, Grand sablon (Belgium) - “Black Paris - Black Brussels" - Musée d'Ixelles (Belgium)
2008 - Palace of Fine Arts in Brussels (Belgium)
2005 - Exhibition at the Fine Art Gallery in Brussels (Belgium) - ADA Gallery in Brussels (Belgium)
2004 - “Contemporary art fair of Lille" (France) - ADA Gallery in Brussels (Belgium) - Exhibition at the Fine Art Gallery in Brussels (Belgium)
2003 - Expos Africa for Africa at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (Belgium)
2002 - Exhibition "Treeshome", David Bade, Bers Grandsinge, William Speakman, Galerie Sabine Wachters Fine Arts in Brussels (Belgium)
2001 - Exhibition "Ecritures" in Paris (France) - AAARS antes in Paris (France)
2001 - “Startistes" Brussels (Belgium) - The messaging of contemporary art at ISELP Brussels (Belgium)
2000 - Exhibition "Afrika Sana", "The Congolese Painting of yesterday and today" Exhibition room of the Quai Antoine Ier in Monaco
2000, 1999, 1998 and 1997 - ADA Gallery in Brussels (Belgium)
1997 and 1998 - Exhibitions "Laeken bouge" at the town hall of Laeken in Brussels (Belgium)
1997 - Exhibition "Janus" at the town hall of Laeken in Brussels (Belgium) - Traveling exhibition "White on canvas" (Belgium) - Exhibition "For the reconstruction of the Congo" in Brussels (Belgium)
1996, 1994, 1992, 1989 and 1987 - Galerie Hutse in Brussels (Belgium)
1996 and 1994 - Agora Gallery in New York (USA)
1996 - Galerie Dewart in Brussels (Belgium)
1995 - Exhibition in Mechelen (Belgium) - Exhibition in Ghent (Belgium) - Exhibition "Elzenhov" in Brussels (Belgium)
1994 - Exhibition in Tournai (Belgium) - Galerie Dewart in Brussels (Belgium)
1993 - Exhibition in Chimay (Belgium) - Oasis exhibition in Brussels (Belgium) - Exhibition at the Tervuren museum (Belgium)
1992 - Oasis Cultural Center in Brussels (Belgium) - Exhibition in New York (USA)
1991 - Exhibition in Nantes (France) - Exhibition in Spa (Belgium)
1990 - Exhibition at ACP (Belgium)
1989 - Exhibition at ACP (Belgium)
1988 - "Passage 44" in Brussels (Belgium)
1986 - Jacques Franq Cultural Center in Brussels (Belgium)
From 1978 to 1985 several exhibitions in the Democratic Republic of Congo
1978 exhibition at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, within the framework of the CIAF
(International Congress of African Studies)

- October 15 to October 18, 2015- Africa art fair Paris

-May 5 to June 5, 2000 - Biennial of contemporary African art Dak'art 2000 within the framework of the African plastic arts market in Dakar (Senegal)
-1994 - "International Arts Fair: Libr'Art" in Libramont (Belgium)
-1990 - Contemporary Art Fair - Anspach Gallery in Brussels (Belgium)
-1988 - "International Arts Fair: Libr'Art" in Libramont (Belgium)
-1980 - "Horizon 80" in Berlin (Germany)

Prizes obtained and competitions:

-1991 Prize for new art from the European Literary and Artistic Academy (AELA) in Nantes (France)
-1990 "Manuel Scorzia" international prize in Brussels (1st prize) (Belgium)
-1989 "Manuel Scorzia" international prize in Brussels (2 nd prize) (Belgium)

Other artistic achievements:

Textile creation: Frescoes
-From 1999 digital prints on fabrics
-Several participations in Indigo fairs in France and Belgium
1997 Frescoes at the gîte "Le gringo" in Fanzel and at the Hanciaux garage in Auderghem (Belgium) 1981 Fresco on the wall of the building of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo)
-1981-1995 Textile designs (Wax) within the design office Mama Poto and Hasson & Frères in (kinshasa - Dem. Rep. Of Congo) and Dutch Wax Creations

Bibliography:

- africanah.org: Arena for Contemporary African, African-American and Caribbean Art, Bers Grandsinge Congo, 09/25/2015, Netherlands

- ArtsHebdo Média, August 22, 2015, Bers Grandsinge, exhibition "No one is a prophet in his country"

- Catalog, Exhibition "No one is a prophet in his country", Goldenberg Gallery and Beautiful Art, France
Books and papers: Press (selection of articles)
-Blacs Paris-Blac Brussels, du Musée d'Ixelles, Feb, 2008, published in Belgium ---
-Dictionary of Plastic Artists of Belgium of the 19th and 20th century of Piron (Belgium); ed °. Art in Belgium; 2003
100 Artistes, du Center culturel de la Wolwe, 2002, published in Belgium.
-Mémoire des Arts, January-February 2002, published in Lyon.
-Startists "Artist proof" of asbl Arcadia (Brussels 2001) page 15
-Afrika Sana "The Congolese Painting of Yesterday and Today" by Francis Kasasa (Monaco) 2000
-EineWelt kunsthefte 2000 "Jean-Pierre Bers", Malerei, Grafik und Installationen, de einewelt kunsthefte, Magdeburg (Germany) 2000
- Listed in "Belgian painters from the 19th century to the present day" by Piron (Belgium) 2nd; ed °. ;
-2000 -Travel diary "Contemporary art messaging - the contemporary art train rolls in French-speaking countries 2nd stage" (in Belgium) published in Ed ° .; ISELP on pages 57 and following
-2000 -Adec 98 "International odds directory" (in France), ref. B
-1998 - "Artists and galleries 1997" (in Belgium) published in Ed °. ; SI Belgium on pages 206 and following
- "Blanc sur toile 1997" (in Belgium) by Solange Cancelier on pages 14 and following
- 1997 -Akoun "The price of painters 1996" (in France) published in Ed ° .; The shipowner's quotation page264-1996 - Listed in the guide "Contemporary African art" from the AFAA (France) - 2nd Ed ° .;
-1996 -Mayer 1996 "The international book of auctions" (in France) on pages 1576 and following --- 1996 - "Art Antique Aunctions 1993" (in Belgium), page 55
-1993 - "50 artists from Belgium" by Anita Nardon in Ed ° .; Logo on pages 22 and following -
- ---- -1989 - Memoir by Anne DuCulot from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, art history section entitled "Study of contemporary Zairian painting" on pages 68 and following - 1987
-Travel in similar and different arts "in the evening" (Belgian press), November 18 and 19, 2000
-Was.Wann.Wo (German press) of December 13, 2000
-Voyage in similar and different Arts, article by Aurore D'haeyer in "le Soir" (Belgian press) of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November 2000
-Article of Anne Maitre in the newspaper "Walfadjari" (Senegalese press) of Tuesday May 23, 2000
- Article by Eddy Kayeba in Dakart (Senegalese daily for the Dakar Arts Biennale) of May 9, 2000
-Article by Françoise Rae in "Le Matin" (Belgian press) of Thursday, October 15, 1998
-Article of Anita Nardon, art critic, in the newspaper "Astuces" (Belgian press) of October 1993
-Article of Anita Nardon in "Season n ° 83" of November 1993
-Articles by Stéphane Rey, art critic, in "L'écho" (Belgian press) of October 18, 1993 and December 1, 1990
- Article by William Bourton in "Le Soir" (Belgian press) of Thursday, May 10, 1990
-Article in "The last hour" (Belgian press) of December 11, 1990
-Article in "Le Soir" (Belgian press) of December 5, 1990
-Article of Anita Nardon, art critic, in "The red flag" (Belgian press) of Monday, June 20, 1988
-Article by Marc Metedepenigue in "Le Soir" (Belgian press) of Thursday, June 9, 1988
- Article in the newspaper Elima (Congolese press) in February 1979