Griet Dobbels is a visual artist. She began her professional career in 1996 after graduating from

The Royal College of Art in London. 

Key concepts in her work are: the dialectic between grandeur and insignificance, transience and timelessness, nature and culture, beauty and horror, safety and danger, chaos and control, universality and individuality. Formally, these subjects translate into various media: drawings, video installations, sculptures and happenings. Dobbels explores boundaries, both in terms of content and form, and strives for an objective position. 

The line is a constant in her work, be it the contour line, the coast line, the front line or a border. This line is exposed, excavated, walked, drawn or cut-and-pasted.

Griet Dobbels has exhibited nationally and internationally and has undertaken a number of significant residences, including at the Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto in 2017-18 and was selected in 2020 for the artist residency at Al Ma’mal Foundation, Old city Jerusalem (postponed due to Covid) and Birzeit University which is postponed and partly online at the present of time.

Her work can be seen in the contexts of museums, art centres, public spaces or as part of diverse private initiatives, including: Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens (B); Brakke Grond, Amsterdam (NL); Working Title Festival Brussels (B); Nest, The Hague (NL); Netwerk Aalst (B); Greenwich Festival, London (UK) and Emergent (B). Her solo exhibition, The Map Is Not the Territory (Montedellarte), was on display at Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto in Biella (IT) and the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels. 

At the present moment in time she will be back in Palestine for the implementation of new art work for Watou Art Festival 2023. And she is currently conducting research for the ongoing project Trillingen (working title) in collaboration with artist Cesar Janssens (Jr.c.E.sA.r, KVS) and preparing  two upcoming solo shows in Shoobil Gallery (2023, Antwerp, B) and Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche (2024, Brussels, B).

Els Vermeersch, Compagnon d’Art  

 

Education:

1994-1996: Master Degree in Arts: Royal College of Art, London, UK; AIR Kyoto City University of Arts, Japan

1991-1994: Master in visual arts: Luca school of arts Ghent, B

 

Most recent Artist residences:

2022-2023: Al Ma'mal Foundation, Jerusalem

2022: Patchwork, Watou Art Festival

2021: Birzeit University, Ramallah

2017: June/July and September: Cittadellarte -Fondazione Pistoletto and UNIDEE, Biella, IT

2015: January: Met zicht op zee, Braye-Dunes, FR i.c.w Emergent, B

  

Artist’s books

2022     Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Tower, i.c.w. TopoCopy and Sophia Attigui; launch  autumn 2022 in Dar Jacir, Bethlehem (PS) and WARP, Sint-Niklaas (BE) 

2018     The Map is not the Territory (Montedellarte), Publishing Viaindustriae, Foligno, IT

2015     Straight line attempt icw Posture Editions nr 16

2013     Mind the gap icw Dolores Bouckaert, edition for Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens in 2013, B 

 

Most recent Grants

2022     Research grant (Flemish government) for Trillingen icw Cesar Janssens

2021     Project grant (Flemish government) for Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Tower

2019     Research grant (Flemish government) for Straight Line Attempt (Palestine)

2017     project Grant (Flemish government) for The Map is not the Territory (Montedellarte)

 

 

 Exhibitions

2024

Group show, A PRO POT III : MUDEL, Deinze (B) , curated by Trees Demits

 29.10 > 07.01.2024 : HET ANALYTISCHE LANDSCHAP : groupshow Emergent, Veune, B, curator Frank Maes

04.2024 Solo show, Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche, Brussels

  2023

25.06 > 10.09: Groupshow 10 YEARS EMERGENT, Veurne, B

01.07 > 03.09 : Watou Art Festival 2023 with art video : The Cow and the Goat 

4 August at 18:00 > 19:30 performance VISSERS VAN DE HORIZON, with Cesar Janssens at TAZ, Theater Festival Oostende, B 

09.07 > 19.08: groupshow SUMMER VIBES, Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche, Brussels, B

02.09 > 07.10: Duo show with Evelien Gysen at Shoobil Gallery, Antwerp

27.10 > 21.01.2024 : groupshow A PRO POT III, MUDEL, Museum Deinze, B, curator Trees De Mits

29.10 > 07.01.2024 : HET ANALYTISCHE LANDSCHAP : groupshow Emergent, Veune, B, curator Frank Maes

The artist's book Under the Tower/ Onder de Kerktoren selected for the exhibition DESIGN-A-BOOK at Wittockiana, Brussel

Art on Paper, Amsterdam with Gallery Sofie Van Den Bussche, Brussels

 

2022

Launch artist’s book Under the Tower / Onder de Kerktoren: WARP Sint-Niklaas, 20 August, B

Launch artist’s book Under the Tower / Onder de Kerktoren: Dar Jacir Bethlehem, 1 October, PS

Nov 2022/Jan 2023, Group exhibition Emergent nodigt uit, Emergent, Veurne, B

Patchwork, AIR at Watou Art Festival, B

TEN Times TWO, group show, Gallery Sofie Van den Bussche, Brussels, 12/06> 10/07/2022

TRAAG (Slow), artistic intervention in the landscape on GR route Flemish Ardennes, part of GVR, launch Sunday 18/06/2022

Groupshow 15 years Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Opening 12/06/2022

Groupshow 8 ZomerExpo's, 3J; Jean-Jacques De Gucht & Johan Van Tittelboom , Knokke-Heist, more info soon

Ongoing Trillingen collaboration with Cesar Janssens(Jr.c.E.sA.r, KVS) 

 

2021

 Group show: One way or Another , 10 years Posture Editions, S.M.A.K. Gent - 

Trillingen (working title) collaboration with Cesar Janssens(Jr.c.E.sA.r, KVS) launch video 17  online (until 01/07/2021) platform KVSi.c.w.KVS and De Warande Turnhout

Group show: One way or Another , 10 years Posture Editions, S.M.A.K. Gent

Group show: Een boom is meer dan er staat, expo, lezingen, poëzie, muziek, De Egelantier, Otegem

 تحت البرج / Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Tower :  ongoing,  artist’s book

Video 17, no.1 in a cycle of 17 Trillingen / Vibrations © Cesar Janssens & Griet Dobbels in colaboration with KVS, Brussels, de Warande (Turnhout), online until 01/07/2021

(07) تحت البرج / Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Tower :  ثَرثَرة / GlossolaliaALAA ABU ASAD & IGNACE CAMI : video on view untill 15/07/2021 here 

(05) تحت البرج / Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Tower : Khalil Sakakini CC, Ramallah 

April / June: online artist residency at Birzeit University supported by A.M. Qattan Foundation and through the VAFF project, funded by Sweden

Traag / Slow : artistic intervention in the landscape on GR route Flemish Ardennes, part of GVR Sint-Antelinks and Steenhuize

(04) Onder de kerktoren / Under the Church TowerArab Culture Association, Haifa with Alaa Abu Asad

2020

(1) Onder de Kerktoren / Under the Church Tower , Emergent, Veurne: ESSA GRAYEB - GRIET DOBBELS

The Jerusalem Show, Al Ma'mal Foundation, Jerusalem (postponed due to Covid)

Contrei Live, i.c.w. Intercommunale Leiedal, selected for artistic intervention in the landscape (B)

Shortlisted for Entwined (VARC, visual arts in rural communities, Northumberland, UK)

Clay Front Homecoming

2019

Research project Straight Line Attempt in the Middle East Region

November > December: Clay Front, Kruitmagazijn, Ypres

20 October > 10 November, Vrouwen²Women, Ypres (B) Benefit exhibition for Mothers for Peace

The Map is not the Territory (Montedellarte), artist’s book-video-installation at the Italian Cultural Institute Brussels i.c.w. Paolo Naldini (Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto) and Belgian launch artist's book Publishing Viaindustriae (IT).

 

2018

October 2018: Selected for working visit : Amman, Ramallah, Jerusalem & Haifa i.c.w Flanders Art Institute.

The Map is not the Territory (Montedellarte), artist’s book-video-installation at Museo del Presente at Arte al Centro 2018, Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto, IT

Launch artist's book The Map is not the Territory (Montedellarte) Publishing Viaindustriae (IT), Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto (IT) 

Mirroirs 2 /Tous est paysage- Biënnale Parc d'Enghien, Brussels

Clay Front i.c.w In Flanders Fields Museum (B) and Imperial War Museum Canberra, Australia and Villers-Bretonneux museum (FR)

Time can tell video festival: 3 shortfilms: The map is not the territory ( Montedellarte),with Katrien Vermeire, Der kreislauf and Meggy Rustamova, L'invitation au voyage2017

2017

 

Art happening Montedellarte, Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto (IT) i.c.w. C.A.I., Erasmus University College (B), supported by Flemish Community

Art happening in private house in the context of  Wander Meander Sarah&Charles  

AIR  Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto, IT

Hoger Lager, solo show, Emergent Galery, Veurne, B

Ik trap gewoon door, Social artistic project, Museum M Leuven, B

2016

Group show, Arture #5, Ressegem, B

Edition for 2016, Emergent Galery, Veurne, B

2015

Solo show: 30 Wind Socks revisited, CC Knokke Heist, B

Publication Straight line attempt icw Posture Editions nr 16

AIR Braye-Dunes, FR icw Emergent Galery, Veurne, B

Group show Take Position, Emergent Galery, Veurne, B

Group show Art traces at the Western Front, Flanders Fields, Langemark, B

Art Festival Watou, B

2014

AIR Be-Part Centre for Contemporary Art, Waregem, B

Solo show What a lovely mountain!, Galery Bruthaus, Waregem, B

Group show in the landscape Tussentijd, Moortsele, B

Group show The Daylight Show, Landgoed Zonnestraal, Hilversum, NL

Edition voor publication, K University Leuven, B

Group show Grenzeloos, Harelbeke, B

2013

Group show Badly Natured, Nest, Den Haag, NL

Publication en performance: Mind the gap icw Dolores Bouckaert, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, B 

Group show Transformation, Transfo, Zwevegem, B

2012

The map is not the territory, Art happening Ressegem icw ARPIA 2012

Group show Cutting Edge Women, Verbeke Foundation, Stekene, B

2010 - 2013

AIR art@school, art project icw Jan De Cock, ministery of education and University of Ghent

2010

Group show MEER, Voorkamer, Lier, B

Group show Summer show, Verbeke Foundation, Stekene, B

Solo show: My gated communities, Galerie Marion Decannière, Antwerp, B

2009 - 2013

Mind the Gap: icw Dolores Bouckaert: Soloshow: Netwerk (Aalst) B; Performance Working Title Festival, Pianofabriek, Brussels, B; Brakke Grond, Amsterdam, NL; Galerie Marion Decannière, Antwerp, B; Soloshow Galery Jan Dhaese, Ghent, B

2009

Group show: Artificial Nature, Verbeke Foundation, Stekene, B 

2008

Brainbox, CroxhapoxGhent, B

2007

Solo show:Picture This,  Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, B

2002

Art in public space: Kasterlinden, Brussels icw King Boudewijn Foundation  AIR Cultural Capital of Europe Brugge 2002, Zwem je rijk, AIR

1998-2000

Secret Gardens, Greenwich Festival, London, UK

Art in public space: 30 windsocks, sea front, Knokke-Heist, B 

Group show: I never promised you a rose garden, Beelden Buiten, Tielt, B

Solo show: B-space Galery, Kobe, Japan

Group show: Galery Flanders Exchange center, Osaka, Japan

Solo show: Galery Galery, Kyoto, Japan

Group show: Para-site, Brussels, B

Group show: Intersection, Galery Open Hand, Reading, UK

Group show: Intersection, Margret Harvey Gallery, London, UK