Born in Brussels, Bert De Keyser studied at the local Saint-Lukas Institute, where he became a teacher in spatial composition.
Bert De Keyser's projects and works are both two and three dimensional and his creative interests are wide: drawings, compositions and architectural design. As of 1982, his focus shifted mainly to landscape projects in cities and on rural sites.
This last decennium Bert focuses on his project "In Continuo" and made thousands of live drawings of musicians, dancers and actors. These drawings highlight the "Fingerspitzengefühl" as well as the "Berührung" between musicians and their instruments, the gracefulness or expressions of dancers and actors.
The live made and tasteful chalk and ink-drawings interpret and narrate "moments". Many well-known artists have been captured by Bert these past ten years. First, he started his project in Brussels, residing in the Brussels Conservatory, but he was also invited to operate in the Bozar, at Flagey, and many more… Next, Bert visited many other cities and venues and got as far as Norway to capture performers.
His first comprehensive "In Continuo" exhibition was organized in Mons, in 2015.
Artist in Residence and large city- and landscape projects
1992 Bratislava Budapest - Vienna: Focus on "Three Cities" Project on the Donau
1993 Antwerp '93: Mirror tower (8 m high) on the left bank, mirror wall on the Zuiderterras, laser beam installation from the roof of the Antwerp Arts Museum to the mirror tower and the cathedral
1996 Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum & Rembrandt house museum: Het Rembrandt - Mondriaan project (Opening: honor gallery for the Nachtwacht)
1996 Solingen: Opening Neues Museum (Opening by Minister-president Johannes Rau)
1997 Stockholm: project Focus on Stockholm
2002 Barcelona: Guest of honor "Symposium Kunst in Openbare Ruimte"
2008 Bozar: as of 2008, drawing stage artists
2012 Belgium: Ars Musica Festival in Liège-Mons-Brussels-Antwerp-Bruges
2012 Stavanger: Youth Chamber Music Festival
2014 Bozar: live on stage drawing of "6 Artists in Residence": promotion video
2015 2016: Mons 2015: Cultural Capital of Europe: first opening and 1st retrospective of "Project In Continuo"
2018 Korea-Daegu: stay and exhibition
Curator:
Brussel 2001: Royal Belgium Library: N-S-Axis Project
Brussel 2004: "Weg van Bruegel" '04
Brussel 2011: Project "WIT" 500 years Chamber of Rhetoric in Brussels, in collaboration with David Van Reybrouck
Awards:
1992 Brussels: design Finance Tower Front
1993 Antwerp: Diploma of Honor from the Flemish Engineers Chamber for the project "Light Air Water"
1994 Brussels: Europe fountain
1995 Malta award for Architecture, Architecture and image
2013 Dilbeek: Culture award
Owners of Bert De Keyser's works of arts:
Print Collection Royal Library of Belgium - Province of West-Flanders
Flemish Community - Province of Brabant
Flemish Community Commission Brussels - KBC (in New York and Brussels)
Museum Rembrandthuis Amsterdam - Cera
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
Gemeentekrediet
Mauritshuis Den Haag - Municipalities: Alsemberg
Flemish Community
Palace of the Nation(Federal Parliament Brussels) Public works:
P&C collectie Nederland - Beersel
Art Museum Solingen-Grafrath - Dilbeek
City museum Bratislava - Sint-Agatha-Berchem
Steenhoudt Ploegen, Geraardsbergen - Asse
Kasteel La Motte, Dilbeek, Sculptural installation. Museum Sons - Shoesornoshoes Kruishoutem
ARTER (Brussels Office for Architects): Spacial Work
Private collections
U.L.B. Brussels
Works of art in public spaces (listed as of 1985):
Federal Parliament (3x Brussels) commissioned by House and Senate
Sint-Genesius Rode: "Brabant Landscape" commissioned by Regie des Bâtiments
Alsemberg: "Reminiscentie" commissioned by Beersel municipality and Land Planning
Zellik: "Prayer for the world" sculpture in private home façade (De Costerlaan)
Sint-Agatha Berchem: "Destruction of the world" private home façade Rue Kasterlinden
Antwerp: "Mirror tower", Antwerp, Cultural Capital of Europe
Kemzeke: "Sculpture Okusai" Verbeke-foundation:
Brussels: "4 canvasses (7 x 13 m) on the Palace of Justice Dome in the context of "Weg van Bruegel"
Giant scale model of the Brussels Finance Tower in front of the Barcelona University: 10m x 10m, capturing the reflecting images of Barcelona and the movements in the city: connection of 2 cities.
In the Barcelona College of Surveyors and Technical Architects, exhibition of the N-S-Axis Project (Royal Library of Belgium).
Graphic assignments:
KBC: lithographs (twice)
De Meuter: lithographs (twice)
Cabinet Vic Anciaux: lithograph
Flemish Physicians Association of Brussels: lithograph
RHOK Academy Etterbeek: lithograph
Brussels Bach Choir: poster
Il Fondamento: CD Albinoni
K.U.L. Law Faculty
Luc Momaerts: Poetry collection
Christine Vercammen: doctorate Leiden University "The unborn child"
Performed with:
Il Fondamento in CC Westrand Dilbeek
George De Decker and Raf De Keninck in CC Westrand Dilbeek
Jef Neve in CC De Zeyp
Kris Defoort
1) In Bozar
2) in CC De Abdij Geraardsbergen
3) in Mons Conservatoire Royal
Jan Hautekiet and Jelle Cleymans (Brussel, Leuven,...) in "Tribute to Bram Vermeulen"
Hulde aan Bram Vermeulen met Jan Hautekiet en Jelle Cleymans (Brussel, Leuven,...)
Youtube:
I.s.m. vzw Beeldenstorm-Kuregem-Brussel:
Kris Defoort (Mons)
Jan Hautekiet en Niels Boutsen (Brussel en Leuven) Hulde aan Bram Vermeulen
Stief Knockaert
Culture Award Dilbeek, 2013, in CC Westrand with George De Decker and Raf De Keninck
RTBF La 3 in Flagey - Queen Elisabeth Concours 2013
Publications:
Art Portfolio with 4 dry needle engravings and the poem "Bert de Keyser" written by Simon Vinkenoog.
Art Portfolio "Brussel, Gekende Stad" containing 5 lithos and texts by Herman Liebaers, Willem-M. Roggeman, Simon Vinkenoog, Johan Verminnen, Frans-Jos Verdoodt.
Bibliophilic publication by Jos Brabants with one original lithograph by Bert De Keyser and 15 unpublished love poems by Simon Vinkenoog.
Publication of Beeldenstorm: in text, image and music "17.912 Days fascinated by beauty"
Three "drawing pads" with drawings by Bert De Keyser and texts by friends, writers, musicians:
Simon Vinkenoog, drawn by Bert De Keyser
Bram Vermeulen, drawn by Bert De Keyser
Kris Defoort, drawn by Bert De Keyser
Lectures:
1991 April: BRATISLAVA: Pallfy Palace: project Focus on Bratislava and other city projects
2001 January: Brussels: Saint-Lukas Institute
2001 November: BARCELONA: Central University- Aula Magna, Placa Universitat, Guest of honor of the Symposi international: Futur i funcio de l'art contemporani en l'espai urbà/ La intervencio artistica en l'espai: (5, 16, 17 nov.2001) ; Other invited artists were Claes Oldenburg, Coosje van Bruggen, Pedro Cabrita Reis, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Dimitri Alithinos (cf. Poster).
2011 June: Geraardsbergen: CC De Abdij: with Guido Lauwaert, Jan Van Herreweghe, Jos Brabants.
2012 January: Herman Teirlinckhuis: with Hugo Casaer, Guido Lauwaert; Edith Reginalda.
2012 March: Herman Teirlinckhuis: with Jan Van Herreweghe, Jos Brabant, Pjeroo Roobjee, Guido Lauwaert, Tone Brulin, Anna Luyten, Geert Van Istendael, Roger D'Hondt, Hugo Camps.
Panel discussions:
1993 RTL TV-debate Bert De Keyser with Sergio Reggiani, Marc Clémeur, Eric Antonis, J-L Rassinfosse
Debates:
1982 Brussels: FNAC: debate with exhibition "Brussel getekende stad"
2002 Brussels: Conservatorium: debate with exhibition "Brussel getekende stad"
2004 Brussels: Palace of Justice: debate with exhibition "Brussel getekende stad"
Press coverings:
Countless reviews, reminiscences, texts and appraisals. Both written and filmed.
With a.o. an extensive description (50 pages) by Hubert Dethier in the Nieuw Tijdschrift of the Brussels University VUB.
Documentaries:
Video and movie reporting of projects and exhibitions.