Bart Ramakers (born 1963) is a Belgian artist and art curator. He is known for the staged photographs in which he creates a "mythology for a new world". His works also include video and sculpture.
Ramakers reworks classic mythological and religious themes in the light of actuality: gender equality, environment, and solidarity, often with a nod to art history. His collaborations include Panamarenko, Tom Herckrck, William Sweetlove, Cecilia Paredes among others.
Life and work
Ramakers was born in 1963, near Maaseik, and was influenced by his father, an art amateur. He studied drawing at the academies of Maaseik and Maasmechelen and history at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. During his studies, he was active as a cartoonist, illustrator and graphical artist in several student publications, such as Veto. After graduating, Ramakers worked in advertising and marketing until he started his artistic career in 2009.
Selected projects
- The Apotheosis of Flora, for the D'Ursel Castle and De Notelaer in Hingene, 2013
- Strangers in the Night, 2014
- A Divine Comedy, 2016
- The Anatomy of Beauty, 2017
- Autopia - Automats for a New World, 2018
- Flora and the Water Warriors, with William Sweetlove, 2019
- The Bride Unveiled, 2021
- Sandwiched, 2022
Selected exhibitions
- Sweet 18, in the Castle d'Ursel, 2015
- Autopia, in Wilford X Temse, 2018
- Weill ich ein Mädchen bin, Odapark Venray, 2018
- Anastasia, with William Sweetlove and Roel Stels, Lier, 2020
Group exhibitions curated by Bart Ramakers include:
- One big Family, with Caroline Bouchard, Alden Biesen Castle, 2015
- Hallelujah!, Triamant Gerkenberg Bree, 2021
Publications
Bart Ramakers' work is published in the books:
- Trouble in Paradise, 2015
- Revelations, 2018
- Flora and the Water Warriors, 2019
- The Bride Unveiled, 2021
References
- Bart Ramakers, FADDY Magazine, p. 82
- Staging the Scene: Bart Ramakers’ exuberant dialogue with artistic heritage, Ghent University
- Bart Ramakers : Scream of the Butterfly / Revelations, The Eye of Photography
- Bart Ramakers , Comiclopedia
- Cliquet, Thomas (2014). Wij maken het nieuws: de kritische pen van Veto: 40 jaar Leuvens studentenblad. Leuven: LannooCampus. ISBN 9789401421676.
- "Normal Magazine | Bart Ramakers". Normal Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- Stadeus, Geert (2018). Snoecks 2019. Snoecks Bv. pp. 86–103. ISBN 9789077885482.
- Wandelen langs apotheose van Flore, Het Nieuwsblad
- Photo exhibition Bart Ramakers at hotel Le Berger, BRUZZ
- Het nieuwe project van Bart Ramakers ‘Devine Comedy’ herziet religieuze en mythologische thema’s, TheArtCouch
- Les femmes sensuelles de Bart Ramakers, Soirmag
- Op de rand van het menselijke. Filosofisch-psychoanalytische impressies, p. 241
- L’ « Art contemporain », à la Citadelle de Namur, jusqu’au 14 Juillet, Brussels Star
- De bruid ontbloot – een avontuur met reporter Linlin, Hergé Genootschap
- ‘Sandwiched’, Bart Ramakers brengt hedendaagse boodschap in traditioneel jasje, TheArtCouch
- SWEET 18, Meer
- Autopia: een unieke expo met zelfverzonnen machines, Het Nieuwsblad
- Weil Ich Ein Mädchen Bin Jubileumexpo bij Odapark, venray.nieuws.nl
- Galerijhouder opent pop-up in Timmermans-Opsomerhuis en droomt tegelijk van meer: “Graag permanent museum voor moderne kunst”, Het Laatste Nieuws
- ‘We zijn allemaal familie van elkaar’, De Standaard
- Hallelujah!, in Bree vieren kunstenaars de ‘verrijzenis’ na een moeilijke tijd, kunst-zetter
- "Publications – Bart Ramakers". Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- "Trouble in Paradise". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 9 September 2015. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- Hilderbrand, Elin (11 October 2020). "Book Review: Troubles in Paradise". Colloquium. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- Meyer, Frederic De. "Revelations", een overzicht van de persoonlijke mythologie van Bart Ramakers (in Flemish).
- Meyer, Frederic De. "Een ongewone samenwerking, Bart Ramakers, William Sweetlove en hun "Flora and the Water Warriors"". theartcouch.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- Rogerklaassen, Door (13 April 2021). "The Bride Unveiled – Hergé Genootschap" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-02-25.
- Joris, Yves. "Broer van kardinaal zoekt gesluierde bruid". theartcouch.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2023-02-25.