Life of Mart De Houwer

Repetitive rows of trees, solitaire standing bushes, fields of heather, the area around Zonhoven makes an attractive subject for artists. They are drawn to the region to depict the ever changing scenery. Growing up in this area planted a seed for Mart De Houwer’s interest in art. As a young girl, during her walks she picked up the discarded paint-tubes and used the leftover paint to decorate her fathers cigarboxes.

LIFE

1931

Birth

Mart de Houwer was born on 29th of March in Zonhoven. Later she married Leon Winter.

1955

Son Michael is born

1968

New House

Moved to a new house with studio in Zonhoven

1971

Art Education

Attended the evening school in Genk.

1980

Silver State medal for Drawing

Enter description

1982

First Exhibition

CIAP Hasselt

1984

The Ministery of the Flemish Community buys three drawings

Lijn, 0,5 Pentel marker MS 50,
Lijn, 0,10 Pentel marker MS 50
Lijn, 0,20 Pentel Marker MS 50) for the total sum of 75.000 Fr.

They are displayed in Kon. Gem. Min. Binnenlandse Aangelegenheden & Ruimtelijke ordering

1988

The province of Limburg buys a drawing for the new Provincial Home.

for the amount of 12.000 Fr.

1990

Travel to Carrara, Italy

Mart de Houwer created sculptures in white marble.

1999

Death

Mart de Houwer dies on April 24th 1999 at the age of 68 as the result of pancreas cancer.

EXHIBITIONS

1982

C.I.A.P. Hasselt, BE

“Mart De Houwer & Paul Sochacki”(drawing)

1985

PNT, Tienen, BE

“Gespannen Stilte" (groupshow)

1988

Cultureel centrum Genk,BE

“Het Limburgs Kunstjuweel”, (groupshow, together with Willy Ceysens)

1988

Kunstcentrum Il Ventuno, Hasselt, BE

“Grand Bazar D’Art” (groupshow)

1988

Kunstcentrum Il Ventuno Hasselt, BE

“TWENTY-ONE AND 21 AT IL VENTUNO”, (groupshow incl Ben Vautier, keith Haring

1989

St. Aldegondiskerkje, As, BE

(silver, groupshow).

quotes

Mart de Houwer

1989

"I hate the word artist. Art is something you feel deep within yourself. It’s a necessity that demands an answer, an urge needing to be realised. "

Ad Reinhardt

1957

Everything is on the move.

Art should be still.

Mart de Houwer

1982

“In my work I have returned to one of the most primary elements of art: the line.

The line is an autonomous fact for which the factors patience, effort and labour are decisive.

For me it is not so much about artistic creation as an intellectual activity, but rather about graphic labor as such. The physical exertion leads me to psychic distraction.

Creating these surfaces is a form of meditation for me, which brings concentration and tranquility.”

Yayoy Kusama

1968

“Anything mass produced robs us of our freedom.

We, not the machine, should be in control.“