Seventy years ago, in 1956, the Belgian group 'Formes' was founded by Jo Delahaut, Guy Vandenbranden, Jean Rets, Kurt Lewy, Victor Noël, Paul Van Hoeydonck and Francine Holley. The group emerged from the earlier collective 'Art Abstrait', founded in 1952 around Delahaut and Saverys, which played a key role in the development of post-war abstract art in Belgium and helped position Belgian artists within the broader international discourse on geometric abstraction.
While 'Art Abstrait' brought together artists exploring a wide spectrum of non-figurative practices - including Jan Saverys, Georges Collignon, Jan Burssens, Stella Van der Auwera, Ray Gilles, Hauror and Léopold Plomteux - 'Formes' pursued a more rigorous direction. Its members advocated a clear and constructive visual language grounded in geometry, colour and structure, aligning Belgian abstraction with the international tendencies of concrete and constructive art.
On the occasion of Antwerp Art Weekend, Callewaert Vanlangendonck revisits this pivotal moment in Belgian abstraction. The exhibition brings together works by Pol Bury, Georges Collignon, Jo Delahaut, Francine Holley, Kurt Lewy, Jean Milo, Victor Noël, Jean Rets, Léopold Plomteux, Ray Gilles, Stella Van der Auwera, Guy Vandenbranden and Paul Van Hoeydonck, tracing the evolution from the experimental abstraction of 'Art Abstrait' to the strict geometric clarity that defined 'Formes'. With special attention to Van der Auwera and Holley, two rare female voices within Belgian post-war art scene.
Participating artists:
Francine Holley, Stella van der Auwera, Jean Rets, kurt Lewy, Jo Delahaut, Paul Van Hoeydonck, Jan Saverys, Ray Gilles, Jan Burssens, Léopold Plomteux, Victor Noël, Georges Collignon, Pol Bury, and Jean Milo