Skip to navigation Skip to main content

Dan Van Severen

Dan Van Severen's abstract oeuvre is often described with terms like geometric abstraction, formalism or minimalism. His spiritual, meditative, neo-sacral spirit is characteristic. Substantive complexity arises from the reduction of form. Van Severen retains only the essentials, creating a radical distinction between form and content. His works possess a certain detachment that severs any connection with the viewer and himself. Simple geometric shapes such as squares, rectangles, diamonds, circles and ovals define his compositions. The resulting works, with their interplay of interrelated lines and colors, or the relationship between paper, ink, and foreground and background, are entirely independent.

Dan Van Severen was born in Lokeren in 1927 and passed away in Ghent in 2009. He first exhibited his work in 1955 and started gaining traction by the late 1960s, participating in the São Paulo Biennial in 1967, Documenta in 1968 and the Venice Biennial in 1970. He was the subject of retrospective exhibitions at the Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels in 1974, Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst in Ghent and Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1976 and Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens in Deurle in 1992. His work is included in the permanent collections of leading Belgian museums such as Bozar, Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen and Mu.zee.

Dan Van Severen, Untitled, 1972, mixed media on paper, 80 x 60 cm

One must remain silent about what cannot be said.

Chinese Proverb

Biography

Education

  • 1941 - 1948

    Sint Lucas, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1951 - 1954

    Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium

Professorships

  • 1959 - 1971

    Hoger Rijksinstituut voor Technisch Onderwijs, Bruges, Belgium

Solo Exhibitions

  • 2010

    Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

  • 2000

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1998

    Galerie Le Triangle Bleu, Stavelot, Belgium

    PMMK — Provinciaal Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Ostend, Belgium

  • 1995

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

    Groeningemuseum, Bruges, Belgium

  • 1993

    Galerie Conrads, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Galerie Le Triangle Bleu, Stavelot, Belgium (with Luc Claus)

  • 1992

    Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium

    Galerij S65, Aalst, Belgium

  • 1991

    Galerie Quadri, Brussels, Belgium

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1990

    Galerij S65, Aalst, Belgium

  • 1989

    Galerie Mercatore, Antwerp, Belgium (with Luc Claus)

    Academie Leon, Wetteren, Belgium (with Ivo Michiels)

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

    Galerij XXI, Antwerp, Belgium

    Galerie Shimada, Yamahushi, Japan

  • 1988

    Witte Zaal, Sint-Lucas, Ghent, Belgium

    Campo Santo, Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium

  • 1987

    Villa des Roses, Ghent, Belgium

    Galerie L'A / rue Trappé, Lièges, Belgium

    Galerij S65, Aalst, Belgium (with David Tremlett)

    Sint-Lukasgalerij, Brussels, Belgium (with Bruno Albert)

  • 1986

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium (with Michel Boulanger)

    Montevideo, Antwerp, Belgium (with Willem Cole)

  • 1985

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1983

    Galerij van de Academie, Waasmunster, Belgium

  • 1982

    Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Ghent, Belgium

    Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Vlaams Cultureel Centrum de Brakke Grond, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • 1981

    Galerie L'A / rue Trappé, Lièges, Belgium

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1980

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

    Hall — Maison de la Culture, Namur, Belgium

  • 1979

    Galerij Jeanne Buytaert, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 1978

    Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels, Belgium

    Galerij Dobbelhoef, Kessel, The Netherlands

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

    Galerij S65, Aalst, Belgium

  • 1977

    Galerij S65, Aalst, Belgium

  • 1976

    Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Ghent, Belgium

    Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Galerij Ado, Bonheiden, Belgium

  • 1975

    Das Belgische Haus, Cologne, Germany (with Jan Dries)

  • 1974

    Galerij Margaretha de Boevé, Assenede, Belgium

    Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Brussels, Belgium

    Galerij Jeanne Buytaert, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 1973

    Cultuur- en Ontmoetingscentrum de Warande, Turnhout, Belgium (with Bram Bogart)

    Studio La Mano, Mortsel, Belgium

    De Moriaan, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

    Plus-Kern, Brussels, Belgium

    Galerij m.a.s., Astene, Belgium (with Gilbert De Cock)

  • 1972

    Galerij Ado, Bonheiden, Belgium

  • 1971

    Galerij Jeanne Buytaert, Antwerp, Belgium

    Richard Foncke Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1969

    Galerij Carlos Demeester, Roeselare, Belgium

    Galerij AN-HYP, Kortrijk, Belgium

  • 1968

    Galerij Jeanne Buytaert, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 1967

    Galerij Contrast en Voorlichtingscentrum Het 5de Wiel, Ghent, Belgium

  • 1966

    Vlaams Academische Club, Leuven, Belgium

  • 1964

    Galerij Margaretha de Boevé, Assenede, Belgium

    Korrekelder, Bruges, Belgium (with Pol Spilliaert)

  • 1963

    Galerie d'Aujourd'hui, Brussels, Belgium

  • 1960

    Raaklijn, Bruges, Belgium (with Luc Claus)

    Hessenhuis, Antwerp, Belgium

  • 1957

    Galerij Aksent, Antwerp, Belgium

Selected images

Exhibitions