Born in 1994 in Kortrijk, BE
Resides and works in Harelbeke, BE
Julien Delagrange was trained as an art historian, having graduated (magna cum laude) with his MA in Science of Arts at Ghent University, Belgium. As a result, his artistic practice and art criticism are strongly intertwined. He is best known for his black and white charcoal drawings building uo the image with various thin layers of charcoal dust, and vibrant oil paintings depicting human figures and surreal scenery. The Belgian artist is occupied with the lingering effects and imminent internal conflicts due to our primitive human nature in a highly technological, civilized, and rapidly changing world. By doing so, Delagrange tackles the human condition from an almost anthropological perspective, exploring notions of sin, burden, identity, and existentialism, using metaphorical analogies from Old Master iconography—think of recurring motifs such as fruit, landscapes, drapery, and historical painterly conventions—in a post-conceptual era. Delagrange has worked for the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium; the Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium; the Jan Vercruysse Foundation in Brussels, Belgium; is the director of CAI and CAI Gallery; and has contributed as a freelancer to various exhibition catalogs, magazines, galleries, and educational programs as an art critic and guest lecturer. Delagrange is represented by Galerie Sabine Bayasli in Paris, France, and Space60 in Antwerp, Belgium.
Education:
2013-2016: BA in Science of Arts at Ghent University, Ghent, BE
2016-2018: MA in Science of Arts at Ghent University, Ghent BE
Selected exhibitions:
2024
The Blind Leading the Blind (solo exhibition), Space60, Antwerp, BE [upcoming]
Galerie Sabine Bayasli (solo exhibition), Paris, FR
Bargino (group exhibition), Ghent, BE
2023
Les Affinités Electives (group exhibition), Galerie Sabine Bayasli, Paris, FR
Bargino (group exhibition), Ghent, BE
O.S.D. (solo exhibition), Harelbeke, BE
2022
The Dream (solo exhibition), Galerie Sabine Bayasli (Lab), Paris, FR
Dark Matter (solo exhibition), Space60, Antwerp, BE
2021
Micksart (group exhibition), Emmen, NL
Human Preservation (solo exhibition), Verduyn Gallery, Moreghem, BE
Martyrs (group exhibition), Galerie A.B., Roeselare, BE
The Passion (solo exhibition), CAI Gallery, Kortrijk, BE
2020
Johnny Werkbrouck and Julien Delagrange (group exhibition), JW Atelier, Torhout, BE
Untitled (group exhibition), Kühlhaus, Berlin, DE
2019
BIGA Hoeve (group exhibition), Kortemark, BE
D Space (group exhibition), Den Haag, NL
2018
Selected Works (solo exhibition), Koetshuis, Waregem, BE
A.O.S. III (group exhibition), De Linde, Ingooigem, BE
2017
M0(ve)ment (group exhibition), Contrair (curated by Arthur Buerms), Antwerpen, BE
Suspects III (solo exhibition, Oude Kerk, Vichte, BE
Suspects II (solo exhibition), Koetshuis, Waregem, BE
Suspects I (solo exhibition), Huis De Leeuw, BE
2016
Texture (solo exhibition), Koetshuis, Waregem, BE
A.O.S. II (group exhibition), OC De Leege Platse, Beselare, BE
2015
A.O.S. I (group exhibition), CC De Brouckere, Torhout, BE
Selected press & publications:
Julien Delagrange et. al., Patrick Vertenten: This Useless Beauty. Gent: Snoeck, 2024. [contributor]
Julien Delagrange and Otto M. Urban, Alexander Tinei: Funny Games. Prague: DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, 2023. [contributor]
Floréal Duran, “Julien Delagrange” in Les Affinités Electives (press release). Paris: Galerie Sabine Bayasli, 2023. [included in]
Dirk Seghers, Julien Delagrange: Dark Matter (press release). Antwerp: Space60, 2022. [included in]
Eli Anapur and Julien Delagrange (interview), Julien Delagrange Questions Internal Conflicts with his Art (online resource). WideWalls: 2022. [included in]
Eleonora Fontana, Julien Delagrange (online resource). Paris: Artistics, 2022. [included in]
Julien Delagrange and Daniel Sturgis, High On Hope (exhibition catalog). Kendall: Crosslane Projects, 2022. [contributor]
Julien Delagrange: Human Preservation (press release). Moregem: Verduyn Gallery, 2021. [included in]
Julien Delagrange and Sylvia Walker, Julien Delagrange: The Passion 2019 – 2021. Kortrijk: CAI, 2021. [included in]
Julien Delagrange, Apologia. Kortrijk: CAI, 2021. [contributor]
Julien Delagrange and Romas Viesulas, Figurative Painting Today. S.l., Five Books, 2020. [contributor]
Julien Delagrange, Het gastmaal van Acheloüs. Ghent: Ghent University, 2018. [contributor]
Arthur Buerms, M0(ve)ment – exhibition catalog. 17.11 – 19.11.2017. Antwerp: Life 0f L, 2017. [included in]
Collections:
Mennuni Collection, Basel, CH
Smith Collection, Melbourne, AU
Private collections in Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia
Awards & recognitions:
2022, Selected by Artistics, Paris, FR
2021, Selected as a jury member for the Contemporary Award 2021, ES
Lectures:
2023, Guest lecturer for Limerick School of Art & Design, Limerick, Ireland
2022, Guest lecturer for the Fine Arts Academy, Harelbeke, BE
2021, Guest lecturer for AHA!, Kortrijk, BE