Evelyne AXELL (1935 – 1972)
Born on 16 August 1935 in Namur, Belgium, Evelyne Axell (née Devaux) grew up in a traditional middle-class Catholic family. Her father, André Devaux, was a well-known silverware and jewellery craftsman in the region, and her mother, Mariette Godu, came from a very modest family of watermen. At the age of two, she was declared “the most beautiful baby in the province of Namur”, and her beauty remained a defining characteristic of her adult life. Although the family home and shop in Namur were destroyed by a bomb from the US Air Force in August 1944, just missing the bridge it was aimed at, young Evelyne was little affected by the Second World War, as the family spent most of the war at their summer residence in Wépion. She later moved to a girls’ boarding school in Brussels, where the nuns taught her drawing and painting and encouraged her talent. After leaving school, she studied at the Namur School of Art in 1953. In 1954, she transferred to a drama school in Brussels and quickly began a career as an actress.
In 1956, she was engaged to a wealthy hairdresser from Namur and was about to marry him when, on a train returning from Brussels, she met a young television director, Jean Antoine, who specialised in art documentaries for the fledgling Belgian television. They were married in Brussels in December 1956. She decided to change her name to Evelyne Axell for the sake of her acting career, which her husband encouraged. He cast her as an interviewer in “Jeunes Artistes de Namur” (1957), in which she introduced young Belgian avant-garde painters. After the birth of their son Philippe in June 1957, Evelyne Axell worked as a television presenter, mainly depending on her husband’s willingness to find work. Although she became quite famous locally, she found the job trivial. In 1959 she moved to Paris to pursue a more serious acting career. There she appeared in a number of theatre and television plays. She eventually returned to Belgium to star in several films, including three directed by her husband (Jardins français, La Nouvelle Eurydice and Comacina) and one directed by André Cavens and produced by Pierre Levie, “Il y a un train toutes les heures”. In 1963, she wrote and starred in the provocative film “Le Crocodile en peluche”, a love story between a white woman and a black man, also directed by her husband.
In 1964, Evelyne Axell gave up her promising acting career to take up painting, in order to become less dependent on her husband. She took the surrealist painter René Magritte, a family friend, as her artistic mentor. Axell visited Magritte twice a month for a year, during which time he helped her improve her oil painting technique. Surprisingly, she became the only student of the great Surrealist master. At the same time, her husband began a series of documentaries on Pop Art and Nouveau Réalisme. Evelyne Axell travelled with him to London for the filming and met Allen Jones, Peter Phillips, Pauline Boty, Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield and Joe Tilson. Inspired by these studio visits, Evelyne Axell developed her own style of Pop Art, becoming one of the first Belgian artists to experiment with this avant-garde idiom. Although some Belgian collectors were interested in her work, private galleries were reluctant to show her paintings. It was around this time that she began to use the androgynous name ‘Axell’ professionally, in the hope that she would be taken seriously as an artist despite her gender, youth and beauty, not to mention the explicitly sexual nature of her work.
In 1966, her paintings Erotomobiles won an honourable mention in the Young Belgian Painters Prize. In early 1967 she had her first solo exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Shortly afterwards, she stopped using oil on canvas and began to paint on plastic, first on Clartex and then on Plexiglas, using auto-enamel. This new method became her signature technique, which she showed for the first time at an exhibition at the Contour Gallery in Brussels in the autumn of 1967.
In 1969 she won the Young Belgian Painter’s Prize, no mean feat for a female artist at the time. In April 1969, on the opening night of her exhibition at the Galerie Richard Foncke in Ghent, she organised a ‘happening’, in which a woman wearing nothing but an astronaut’s helmet led the crowd through the room and dressed the naked woman. The French critic Pierre Restany was present and commented: “The Belgian painter Evelyne Axell has joined the company of women’s art with Niki de Saint Phalle from France, Yayoi Kusama from Japan, Marisol from Venezuela – and the list goes on. These women live their sexual revolution as real women, with all the immediate, unsurprising consequences: the initiative changes camps”. The subsequent exhibition at the Templon Gallery in Paris was an ironic homage to him. Entitled ‘Axell, Pierre et les Opalines’, it featured a portrait of Pierre Restany surrounded by a series of sensual opalescent nudes – women without names, but each with a nationality.
In 1972 Axell visited her uncle’s family in Guatemala, Jean Devaux, the creator – with his wife Marcelle Bonge – of the Guatemalan National Ballet. There she fell in love with the landscape and vowed to return. She had planned an exhibition in Mexico for 1973 and decided to move to Central America for a few years, where she had found a beautiful house in Guatemala with the help of the Devaux family. But just a few weeks after her return to Belgium, her life and career were unexpectedly cut short in a tragic car accident outside Ghent, Belgium. Evelyne Axell died in the early hours of 10 September 1972 at the age of 37.
Publicly accessible museums and collections with works by Evelyne Axell :
Tate Modern, London
MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Centre Pompidou, Paris
Pinault Collection, Paris, Venice
Andy Warhol Foundation, New York
Mumok, Museum Moderner Kunst, Vienna
Museu Coleção Berardo, Lisbon
Fondazione Bracco, Milan
Fondation Gandur pour l’Art, Geneva
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels
Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels
SMAK, Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent
Le Delta, Namur
MuZEE, Ostend
Design Museum Brussels, Brussels
Belfius Art Collection, Brussels
EXPOSITIONS – EXHIBITIONS
2023
Groupe – Group
« Forever Sixties », 10.06 – 10.09.2023, Couvent des Jacobin, Rennes, France
« Plastic World », 22.06 – 01.10.2023, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
“Borderline, between a line and a border”, 13.04 – 05.05.2023, Kunstraum, Brussels Belgium
« Aplatitudes », 03.02 – 18.03.2023, Galerie Vallois, Paris, France
« Les péripéties d’un centre d’art contemporain de province (1979-2023) », 28.01 – 19.02.2023, La Châtaigneraie – Centre Wallon d’Art Contemporain, Flémalle, Belgium
2022
Individuelles – Solo
« From Studies to Paintings », 25.03 – 24.04.2022, König Galerie, Berlin, Germany
Groupe – Group
“The Amazons of Pop”, 22.04 – 28.08.2022, Kunsthaus Graz, Austria
“Belgitudes”, 02.04 – 09.10.2022, LAAC, Dunkerque, France
“Female Pop : Then and Now”, 10.03 – 10.04.2022, One Hour Ahead, Aspen, Colorado, USA
2021
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell : Body Double », 01.08.2020 – 31.05.2021, Muzeum Susch, Switzerland
Groupe – Group
“Witches!”, 27.10.2021 – 16.01.2022, Espace Vanderborght ,ULB, Brussels, Belgium
“Image to Image”, 16.11 – 16.12.2021, Kuća legata, Belgrade, Serbia
“The Amazons of Pop”, 02.10.2021 – 06.03.2022, Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
“Du COO à l’Art”, 01.06.2021 – 09.05.2022, MuZEE, Ostend, Belgium
“No more boring art”, 24.09. – 26.10.2021, SMAK, Ghent, Belgium
“Ouverture”, 22.03.2021 – 30.01.2022, Bourse de commerce – Pinault Collection, Paris, France
“Espèces d’espace”, 11.09.2021 – 28.08.2022, Le Delta, Namur, Belgium
“Crush!”, 21.10.2021 – 06.02.2022, Design Museum Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
“She-Bam Pow POP Wizz ! Les Amazones du POP”,03.10.2020 – 29.08.2021, MAMAC, Nice, France
«Enjoy,The mumok Collection in Change», 19.06.2021 – 18.04.2022, MUMOK, Vienna, Austria
2020
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell : Body Double », 01.08.2020 – 31.05.2021, Muzeum Susch, Switzerland
Groupe – Group
“She-Bam Pow POP Wizz ! Les Amazones du POP”, MAMAC, Nice, France
« Curated by Artcurial », Maurice Verbaet Gallery, Knokke, Belgium
« International Pop », The Mayor Gallery, London
“Portraits Forever”, Tajan Gallery, Paris, France
2019
Individuelles – Solo
“Evelyne Axell, Méthodes Pop”, Le Delta, Namur, Belgium
Groupe – Group
“Women! Underexposed”, Belfius Art Gallery, Brussels
“Tout est Pop”, Belgian Gallery, Namur, Belgium
“Restless youth”, House of European History, Brussels
“A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women”, Muzeum Susch, Switzerland
2018
Individuelles – Solo
“Evelyne Axell, CHEESE!”, König London, London
“Evelyne Axell, Venus, Leda & Mona Lisa”, König Galerie, Berlin
Groupe – Group
“ Forever Pop ”, Espace Tajan, Paris
« Beyond Pop », Tate Modern, London
« The 60s & 70s in Belgium », Galerie Antoine Laurentin, Brussels
« Coups de cœur », Patrick Derom Gallery, Brussels
2017
Groupe – Group
“Exposition d’automne”, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels
“De la collection/Verlust der Mitte (Perte du centre)”, SMAK, Ghent, Belgium
“The Beguiling Siren is Thy Crest”, Warsaw Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw
« Show Me Your Archive and I Will Tell You Who is in Power », KIOSK Art Center, Ghent
2016
Groupe – Group
“Artview”, ADAM (Art & Design Atomium Museum), Brussels
“Beyond Pop”, Tate Modern permanent collection, London
“Manifesta 11″, Löwenbräukunst, Zürich, Switzerland
« Sous le soleil exactement », Galerie Sophie Scheidecker, Paris
« International Pop », Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia
“Connexions One, Art Belge de 1945 à 1975”, mvArtcenter, Antwerp
2015
Groupe – Group
« The World goes Pop », Tate Modern, London
“International Pop”, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, USA
“Connexions One, Art Belge de 1945 à 1975”, mvArtcenter, Antwerp
« Pop Art in Belgium ! », ING Art Center, Brussels
“Pop Impact, Women Pop Artists”, Maison de la Culture de la province de Namur, Namur
« La Résistance des Images », La Patinoire Royale, Brussels
« International Pop », Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
« Noir Chantilly, Féminisme(s) », Centre Wallon d’Art Contemporain, Flémalle
« Le fruit défendu », Galerie du Beffroi, Namur
2014
Groupe – Group
“ Femminilità Radicale “, Museo Gucci, Florence
« RE: Painted », SMAK, Ghent, Belgium
“4 X 4 “, Stephen Friedman Gallery, London
« Pop to Popism », Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sidney
2013
Groupe – Group
“Axelle Red, Fashion Victim”, Fashion Museum, Hasselt
“GLAM! The performance of Style”, Tate Liverpool, Liverpool
“GLAM! The performance of Style”, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt
“GLAM! The performance of Style”, LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz
“Warhol, Axell, un double regard sur les Sixties”, Cornette de Saint Cyr – Bruxelles, Brussels
“Pop Art Design”, Barbican Art Gallery, London
2012
Individuelles – Solo
“The great journey into Space”, Broadway 1602 Gallery, New York
Groupe – Group
“European Pop Art”, Museum Het Valkhof, Nijmegen
“Faces”, Palais Royal de Bruxelles, Brussels
2011
Individuelles – Solo
« La Terre est ronde », Kunstverein, Hamburg
« Axelleration » (retrospective exhibition), Museum Abteiberg, Monchengladbach
Groupe – Group
“Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists 1958 – 1968”, Brooklyn Museum, New York
“POWER UP – Female Pop Art”, Städtische Galerie, Bietigheim-Bissingen
2010
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell, Images contestataires », WIELS, Brussels
Groupe – Group
“Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists 1958 – 1968”, University of the Arts, Philadelphia
“POWER UP – Female Pop Art”, Kunsthalle, Vienna
2009
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell, le Pop Art en Wallonie », Centre Wallon d’Art Contemporain, Flémalle
“Axell’s Paradise, Last works (1971-72) before she vanished”, Broadway 1602 Gallery, New York
Groupe – Group
« elles@centrepompidou », Centre Pompidou, Paris
« Ingres et les modernes », Musée Ingres, Montauban
2008
Individuelles – Solo
« Axell (1965 – 1972) Entre Pop Art et Figuration Narrative », Galerie Natalie Seroussi, Paris
2006
Individuelles – Solo
“Evelyne Axell, Die belgische Amazone der Pop Art”, Fernsehturm and Belgian Embassy, Berlin
« Evelyne Axell, Du viol d’Ingres au retour de Tarzan », Musée d’art Roger-Quillot, Clermont-Ferrand
“The Sixties seen by Evelyne Axell”, Patrick Derom Gallery, Brussels
2005
Individuelles – Solo
“Evelyne Axell”, The Mayor Gallery, London
2004
Individuelles – Solo
« Axell. Le Pop Art jusqu’au Paradis », Maison de la Culture de la province de Namur, Musée Provincial Félicien-Rops, Namur, Galerie Détour, Jambes, Belgium
2003
Individuelles – Solo
“Evelyne Axell 1935-1972, Erotomobiles”, The Mayor Gallery, London
Groupe – Group
“The 1960’s, Painting and Collages”, The Mayor Gallery, London
2002
Groupe – Group
« Portrait en Namurois », Musée provincial des Arts anciens du Namurois, Namur, Belgium
2001
Groupe – Group
« La vie en Pop », Galerie 51, Paris
2000
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell, 1935-1972. L’amazone du Pop Art», Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles, Paris
« Evelyne Axell, Mémoire de Bacchante », Iselp, Brussels
1999
Individuelles – Solo
« Evenlyne Axell en de jaren zestig », Provinciaal Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Ostende
Groupe – Group
« De Picasso à Magritte. 40 toiles pour 40 ans de jumelage entre Biarritz et Ixelles », Musée Bellevue, Biarritz
1997
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell et les années 60. Un frisson de la vie (Het ruisen van het leven) », Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Ixelles, Brussels
1992
Groupe – Group
“ARTificial WOMEN”, Galerie Cotthem, Zottegem, Belgium
1991
Groupe – Group
« Autoportraits en Belgique depuis 1945 », Maison de la Culture de la province de Namur,
Belgium
1987
Groupe – Group
« Femmes artistes en Namurois », Halle al’Chair, Namur, Belgium
1980
Individuelles – Solo
« Axell. Derniers dessins ». Galerie Jacqueline Ledoux, Namur
Groupe – Group
« Vies de femmes 1830-1980 », Europalia Belgique, Banque Bruxelles Lambert, Brussels
1979
Groupe – Group
« De jaren ’60—Kunst in België », Centre d’expositions Sint-Pietersabdij, Ghent, Belgium
1978
Individuelles – Solo
« Evelyne Axell », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
1975
Groupe – Group
« La Femme dans l’art », Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels
1972
Individuelles – Solo
Cutureel Centrum, Arnhem, The Netherlands
« Axell », Galerie Contour, Brussels
Groupe – Group
« La Vénus de Milo ou les dangers de la célébrité », Musée du Louvre, Paris
« De Permeke à nos jours », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
1971
Individuelles – Solo
« Axell », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
“Evelyne Axell”, Galerie Flat 5, Bruges
Groupe – Group
Prix International, Knokke, Belgium
Winter Art Show, Brussels
Galerie Klang, Cologne
Tweede Triënnale, Bruges, Belgium
Galerie Richard Foncke, Ghent, Belgium
“D’aprés—Omaggi e dissacrazioni nell’arte contemporanea », Lugano, Switzerland
1970
Groupe – Group
« Images et signes de notre temps », Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels
« Pop Art—Nouveau Réalisme—Néo Dada et tendances apparentées », Casino Knokke, Belgium
« Le plastique et l’art contemporain », Grand Palais, porte de Versailles, Paris
« Belgische Kunst 1960-1970 », Kunstverein, Cologne
« Multiples », Galerie Rive gauche, Brussels
1969
Individuelles – Solo
“Axell”, Galerie Estro Armonico, Brussels
« Axell », Galerie Richard Foncke, Ghent, Belgium
« Axell, Pierre et les Opalines », Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris
Groupe – Group
« Jeune peinture belge », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
1968
Groupe – Group
« Alternative Attuali », L’Aquila
1967-68
Groupe – Group
Galerie Accent, Brussels
1967
Individuelles – Solo
« Axell », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
« Evelyne Axell », Galerie Contour, Brussels
Groupe – Group
Schwarz galleria d’Arte, Milan
Biennale des Jeunes, Paris
Premio Lissone, Milan
1966
Groupe – Group
« Jeune peinture belge », Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
« Boîtes à secrets, à surprises », Galerie Maya, Brussels
1965
Groupe – Group
« Arts d’Extrème-Occident », Galerie Angle Aigü, Brussels
