Jean Lequeu (1948-2017): Painter, illustrator, sculptor
Painter, sculptor, draughtsman, illustrator: there's no shortage of names to describe Jean Lequeu, a versatile artist with an extensive career.
He began his career as a student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liège. He went on to teach at the same institution for over thirty years. His mastery of academic codes and techniques enabled him to juggle different styles with ease. Alongside his teaching role, Jean Lequeu continued to create tirelessly throughout his life.
Following numerous group and solo exhibitions, Jean Lequeu decided in the early 90s to stop exhibiting. A discreet artist sensitive to the gaze of others, he no longer wished to be the centre of interest amid the hubbub of vernissages and the dazzling spotlight of gallery exhibitions. No longer seeking public recognition, he prefers to receive visitors in the privacy of his studio, where he spends most of his free time. A true artist rather than a showman, he leaves behind the mundanities and time-consuming setting up of exhibitions to devote himself essentially to making his art. For this reason, he has left us a substantial legacy, with many works that are still unknown to the public.
Jean Lequeu's atypical world is made up of zany characters with strange morphologies, mythological creatures, short-legged warriors, chubby animals and extravagant flying machines! A prolific creator with an overflowing imagination, the artist takes us on a journey to imaginary worlds sometimes reminiscent of the tales of our childhood.
The sources of his inspiration are many and varied. Observant and curious, he is interested in history, literature and mythology, as well as cinema and comic strips. In fact, he produced illustrations for a series of children's books commissioned by Gakken, a Japanese publisher.
Despite his apparently cheerful and festive work, Jean Lequeu remained pessimistic about the way the world was going, leading him to deal with darker subjects such as war and death. With a more academic touch, he also produced a series of views of Verviers in the style of the Verviers Intimists, an artistic movement that emerged in our region in the early 20th century.
With the help of Françoise Villers, Jean Lequeu's wife, Galerie HVL is paying tribute to this man from Verviers, with an exhibition retracing his artistic career through the different periods and themes that influenced him throughout his life. Young and old alike are invited to come and discover his fantastic world of derision, humour and satire.