ALANN DE VUYST A portfolio of reviews of a nomadic painter

Udaipur, Rajasthan/India April 1997

Introduction by Ambalal Damami (Art critic and artist in Udaipur Rajasthan India)

The Belgian artist Alann de Vuyst is a brilliant example from modernist

viewpoint being alienated from his first love: “The Brazilian natives”

(He was adopted trough a blood pact with a Xavante chief in 1989),

whose colors left a deep mark on his mind, later to be translated on his

canvases.

His creations are a panorama of international art,

Ranging from the innocent tribal sensitivity to heartless ruggedness of urban

sophistication. In all his works he combines the analysis of major issues, with

a feel for suffering and stark realities of life.

Alann, a long way voyager trough European, North African, South American

and Asian cultures, possesses a vast and deep understanding of human psyche.

He is both emotive and provocative a “cultural bastard”.

His concept of creation, trough phallic imagery, comes from the age-old

simple logic of Indian root. The world is a cycle of creation and destruction.

The artist continues his warfare against oppression, Judeo – Christian morality

and sexual taboos.

Alann‟s works present a technique – bold and beautiful forming into a style

that is individual and unique. The profusely used orange, white and magenta,

texture with powerful, swirls as an important device forms the character of his

picture, through which he displays his skill and conveys the message more

effectively. Skeptical as he is, a child of curiosity, he registers his unquenched

thirst for all that is hidden to him.

He creates his own myth and fairy tales, thus unfolds himself as a fine mixture

of Alice in Wonderland and Don Quichotte. His dripping device, textural

wharf and wood, a symbolic confluence of chaos and confusion, enables him

in providing the viewer with cathartic experience.

The result is revelation.

Alann De Vuyst was born in Dirk Marten's* city of Aalst, in the province of

Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium. At the tender age of nine he studied art on

Sundays with his father and elder sister at the Academie Van Schone Kunsten

(Fine Arts Academie) in the same city for four years. This involved twenty

kilometers roundtrip on his small bicycle, over hilly Flanders, through snow

and rain, and the occasional sun shine. At thirteen he was the youngest painter

at an artist fair in the city of Zottegem.

At fifteen he finally decided to take classes in advertising arts at the renowned

St-Lukas Instituut in Brussels, which would last for six years. In 1981, his last

year at school, he was expelled from the Catholic Institute because of an

increasingly rebellious attitude and dissenting views on the Catholic faith, it´s

church and more precisely on their holy leader. Then he began to work, for a

brief spell, at the famous advertising agency Lintas SSC&B

Worldwide/Brussels, where he was selected and awarded a second prize in a

contest of designing a poster for the agency's 50 years of existence. The

reward was a six months term of work at their office in Brussels.

Alann's passion and drive for wandering was only at its beginning. Knowing

he had three months before he had to be on the job, he set off on a hitch-hiking

holiday to Spain. It was in the city of Murcia where he started his first pencil

drawn portraits of locals and backpackers for a mere 300 pesetas. Eventually

he did the job for more lucrative means in the tourist city of Torremolinos in

the Costa del Sol.

The next destination was Morocco, where he experienced his first culture

shock and which would alter his vision of the world tremendously, never to be

the same person after it. After running out of money, he tried his luck in

portraying locals in the city of Agadir. Alas the authorities thought

differently, and saw him as an illegal worker and deported him straight away.

Back in Belgium he could not adapt to a nine-to-five job, and with little say

over his creations. Six months later he tried his luck at illustrations, cartoons

and comics, some of which were awarded recognition and approbation at

cartoon contests, such as the famous Knokke-Heist International Cartoon

festival in 1987. The same year he was nominated for painting and cartoons by

the Olivier Strelli award. 1988 was the year in which he became involved with

the 'Salon des Refusés', named after the Salon de Refusés founded by

Napoleon III in the 19th century. It was a non-profit organization officially

protesting against the elitist approach of the annual 'La Jeune Peinture Belge'

contest, and against the monopolized Belgian art world in general. They held

exhibitions with a hundred participants in old beer breweries, or abandoned

military barracks without judging the participants. Professionals and amateurs

exhibited side by side.

In 1989 he became the vice-president of the organization for one year after the

group was dissolved. Alann was censored the same year by a commercial

gallery (Arcade Mauve), for two political portraits of Margaret Thatcher and

King Hassan II of Morocco; they were judged too dangerous in a time when

Salman Rushdie had a fatwa on his head. Bored and disappointed with the

Belgian art scene Alann finally departed for Brazil, where he was adopted by

an indigenous nation: the fierce Xavante who live in Mato Grosso. He painted

the people with vegetable colours (urucum), which the Indians also use on

their bodies, and which earned them the name of redskins.

After his stay with the Xavante, and back in Belgium, he was often on radio

shows, and once in a well-known talk show on TV for an interview and a plea

for money for a development project, which was successfully executed in

1991. The project was about building a water supply system for two different

Xavante villages. He has written a book called “Have You Too Been Pacified”

which tells about his experiences with the Xavante Indians, and of his

adoption in one of their villages. Furthermore he has written several short

stories and poetry, which was published by a Flemish literature quarterly

known as 'De Brakke Hond'. Others, more recent, can be found at:

http://www.scribd.com/Alann

Besides painting Alann occasionally sings the blues, whenever he gets the

opportunity. He performed with an Indian tabla guru in Pushkar in Rajasthan,

India, and in the city of Pokhara, in Nepal, with a Nepali cover band. In Goa

he performed for four months every Sunday, at Mayona's restaurant with

'Doctor Alan', on the beach with an Indian heavy metal band and other

impromptu musicians from different walks of life.

The path for further adventurous travels is a part of his life. Alann would be

willing to take part in a show in Belgium, but until then his focus lies in the

countries he discovers step by step where he interprets what he sees and

imagines.

*After the German Guthenberg he was the second European to introduce book printing

2009: „Mundo Chamán‟ Centro de Cultura in Loja/Ecuador

2008: - „Toro Vivo‟, in the City Hall of Arequipa/Peru

-Tachanas (a co-exhibition with University Alas Peruanas) in El Portal de la

Municipalidad of Arequipa/Peru

2007: - Liam's Art Gallery-Pattaya/Thailand.

2006: - Los Perros in Cusco/ Peru

- Macondo in Cuzco/ Peru

- Museu de Arte Contemporanea de la Municipalidad del Cusco/Peru

- La Capilla de San Bernardo Cusco-Peru

-Convento del Santo Dominog-Qoricancha Cusco/ Peru

-Salon International de Arte 'Memorfosis Racial' collective exhibition in

Sicuani and Puno.

-Galeria Apacheta in Cusco Peru

-Selected in a juried competition with 2 works on 400 participants, by

www.UpstreamPeoplesgallery.com from Omaha USA.

-Between 2005 and 2006 : He stayed 14 months in Peru.

2005: - Hotel Gloria- La Paz- Bolivia

-Erotic Museum in Hollywood/ California USA

-At Kunsthuis Ex-Libris in Belgium.

- Museu de arte Contemporaneo- La Paz/ Bolivia

-Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes La Paz Bolivia

-La Paz/ Bolivia. Interviews on TV channels 8, 11 and 36.

-Galerie Fenix in Brussels, Belgium

-Restaurant La Comédie -in La Paz Bolivia

- Stay of 9 months in Bolivia and 3 months Brazil.

- Held a seminar on the Fulni-ô Indians at el Museo de Etnologia y Folclore

in La Paz/ Bolivia

2004: - Brazil 6 months - Galeria da Preta/ Porto Seguro, Bahia State in

Brazil.

2003: -Eros and Thanatos 2, at Icon Hotel/ Pattaya/ Thailand.

-Art Corner/ Naklua/ Thailand.

-Back to Belgium for one year.

2002: -Art House in Candolim/ Goa/India.*

2001: - India 1 year, 3 months Nepal, and Thailand one year, 3 months

Cambodia and 2 weeks Laos.

- Galerie Johanna/Angoulême/France.*

- 4 murals for German bakery /Pokhara/ Nepal -Biennale of Contemporary Art

at Fortezza da Basso/ Florence/ Italy.*

2000: - 1 year India and 3 months Nepal -Swiss Restaurant/at Kovalam beach

+ performance body paint on the beach /Kerala/ India.

-Tribal Connection 2 at Siddartha Art Gallery/ Kathmandu/ Nepal.

Was commissioned a production of six prototype designs for didgeridoos to be

mass produced for retail outlets in Katmandu/ Nepal.

1999: -1 year in India and 4 months Nepal

- “Helping Hands Contemporary Art gallery”/ Kathmandu/Nepal.*

1998: - India 1 year, Nepal 4 months...then overland back to Belgium via

Pakistan (1 month) Iran (one month) to Turkey –Kurdistan and Istanbul.

-Participated in an art-ecological project, which was initiated by Catherine

Josten in Tucson/Arizona/USA

1997: -India 6 months and Thailand a few months

- Participated in a virtual and synchronic group exhibition since 1997 in San

Francisco/ California/USA, whereby all participating artists' works are being

projected on a huge wall in Columbus Street. Until this very day the

projections go on and can also be seen at: www.globalcollage.com

- Eros and Thanatos show at Bagore Ki Haveli art Gallery/Udaipur/Rajasthan/

India.

-Eros and Thanatos show at gallery 506/ Kolkatta/WB/India.

- Acquisition of 20 works by art collector for a future private museum of Folk

and Ethnic Art in Bangalore/ Karnataka/ India

- Acquisition of 1 work for the Tama Art University art gallery and one that

was auctioned / Osaka/ Japan.

-'Art Blast' at Oxford bookshop/Kolkatta/WB/India.*

-Live action painting at Montmartre Art Village during the Annual Book

Fair/Kolkatta/WB/ India.*

-Nekkershal/ Mechelen/ Belgium.*

1996: - India 6 months and 3 in Thailand and Malaysia

-Tribal Connection show + performance at Gallery La Mère/ Kolkatta/WB/

India.

-20 works + first edition videotape of 'Tribal Connection' performance were

stolen by a taxi driver in Kolkatta. The man got arrested through Alann's

personal investigation. The Police found his works but distributed them

amongst the force. See poice report in this book.

- Extension of the 'Tribal Connection' show at Alliance Française/ Kolkatta/

WB/ India.

- Presentation of my 'Tribal Connection' show at Doordarshan (National TV)

Kolkatta/WB/ India.

- 1995: -Back to Brazil and India and Portugal.

- Mural at the city of Barra do Garças/Mato Grosso/ Brazil.

- Museo de Arte Moderna at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso/

Cuiabá/Mato Grosso/ Brazil.*

- Presentation of my work on breakfast talk show on TV 'O Globo' Mato

Grosso in Cuiabá/ MT/ Brazil.

- Coverage of my mural in Barra do Garças by Tocantins State private TV. /

Brazil.

1994: - Three months in Sri Lanka and ends up in the hospital with a slipped

disc problem. After that proceeds to Madras in India. Remains 6 months in

Calcutta/India living in a brahmin's house and visits the state of Orissa and its

tribal fishermen. Travels to Nepal .

- Center Art Gallery Kolkatta/West-Bengal/ India.

- Production of embroidered T-shirts for outlets in Taipei/ Taiwan

1993: - Visits Malaysia and Thailand again.

-Centre International : "500 Años de Resistencia Indígena "/ Brussels/

Belgium.*

-Galerie L'Oeuil /Brussels/ Belgium.*

-Gallery 706/ Colombo/ Sri Lanka.

1992: - Back to Portugal and back to Brazil with visits at Paraguay and

Bolivia. meets the Maká in Paraguay.

Visits Asia first time; Thailand and Malaysia.

- Published with 'Stoppen met Roken', a short story and poems in Dutch by

De Vleermuis NV. uitgeverij/ Netherlands.

- Porto Seguro, Belo Horizonte/ Sao Paulo/ Brazil: at various cultural centres

during 3 years in a traveling exhibition.*

-Galerij ABCD/ Antwerp/ Belgium.

1991: - Restorante Xadrêz / Brasilía/ Brazil.

Visits once more the Bororo and Xavante Indians.

- He starts the foundation "S.O.S. Amazon Indians" and establishes water

supply in two Xavante villages.

- Galeria NY Arte, contest 'Pinte Cuiabá' (laureate) / Cuiabá/Mato Grosso/

Brazil.

1990: - Werkhuizen/Jeugd en Stad/ Brussels/ Belgium*

- Photo exhibit on the Shavante people at the V.U.B. (Flemish Free

University) Brussels/ Belgium.

- Published with short story 'Bloedbroeders' in Brakke Hond literatuur

tijdschrift quarterly/ Brussels/ Belgium.

1989: Organizes an auction of art in Brussels for the benefit of Tribal people

in Brazil.

- Visits Brazil and gets adopted into the Xavante nation through a blood pact

and earns himself the name of Wérè'è (many persons in one).

-Stays also with the Bororo nation and the Karajà.

1988: -Salon des Refusés at the Arsenal de Charroi/ Brussels/ Belgium.*

-Salon des Refusés at Salle Allende at ULB/ Brussels in Belgium.

1987: - Goes to Tunisia.

1985: -Discovering Portugal. He falls in love with the Portuguese language,

the country and its people.

1984: -Back to Scandinavia.

1983: - Hitchhiking through Holland, Germany and Scandinavia. He becomes

active member of BANAI, a non-profit org. for North American indigenous

rights, and meets with the natives of Bella Coola reservation and from Mount

Currie of British Columbia.

-1981: - 3 months Spain as a portrait artist. In Morocco, arrested by the police

for doing just that, he ended up seven hours in custody.

Alann‟s works are in private collection in: Holland, Taiwan, USA, Norway,

Belgium, France, India, Nepal, UK, Thailand, Brazil, Switzerland, Bolivia,

Ecuador, Peru and USA.

(*= group exhibitions)

The Iron Lady 1988

Alann scetching with red dye Urucum, one of his models in the Xavante Village in 1991.

Alann in Barra do Garcas, Mato Grosso in front of his mural for Berô Can 1995

With the Xavante during the infamous but sacred Wai’a ceremony in Brazil 1989

TRANSLATION OF A POLICE REPORT I FILED FOR THE LOSS OF A DOZEN OF PAINTINGS IN

CALCUTTA 1996.

Dear Sir,

This is to inform that on the 15th of April at about 9.45 pm my friend and I , Alann De Vuyst were

hiring a taxi (black and yellow with glowing Mobile net publicity on it) that came slowly out of Kyd

street into Free School street. We asked him to go Swiss Park Tollygunge. I had a grey Samsonite

suitcase, which the driver didn’t want to put in the trunk, but instead put it next to the driver seat.

At arrival in 46 A PC Mitra Lane the meter said 18.50 rupees. I offered him 27, he refused to take it

and demanded 30, upon which we both got arguing. Getting fed up, I left the seat where I sat and

left the taxi. Meanwhile the caretaker of the apartment gave me a letter to read and that’s how I

forgot to take out the suitcase there. I went up to my room; it took like five minutes, before I

realized that my suitcase was still in the car. But the taxi had gone.

The valuables in the suitcase are paintings (approximately 15, 2 video tapes (one documentary on

my show in Galerie La Mère, held this month, a letter and diary.) I esteem that including that

suitcase, I‘ve lost in Indian value about 67-000 Rs

I would request you to take further steps and procedure to lead this to retrieve what I esteem a

big loss.

That night at 11.30 pm on 15th April I took straight away a taxi to Free School street to find him- To

no avail. On 16th I reported the loss at Tollygunge police station. On 19th I was introduced to Mr.

Sandip Mukerjee of Special Branch Police to take further steps.

That very same night after having dinner in Sudder Street I decided to have a look in Kyd Street

and have a look. I was lucky; I found the exact taxi that had brought me on 15th to Swiss Park. It

had velvet cotton seats in the back, Mobile net publicity and a red sticker on the car window which

I remembered from that day.

I believe 100% in my recognition of the vehicle and I also believe that the man held at Tollygunge

Police Station was the driver, though he denies charges.

Please kindly take in consideration the loss for which is hard to tell the value in currency.

With all respects

Alann 20.04.’96

One of the works which was part of the collection inmy stolen suitcase. I had painted it

two years previously in Brazil and had taken it with me to India.

Anita and I, in Tunesian kaftan

From left to right, the gallery owner (forgoten her name), Kusal (with eagle feather to

smudge my art with and bless it in North American style) with friends, me and painter Mr.

Choudury.

Shortly after my inauguration of Tribal Connection at Galerie La Mère in Calcutta

(Tollygunge), I found another venue to do my performance (a strip down from ‘civilisation

to primitve ‘savage’) which envolved the wife of a graphic artist to paint me in indigenous

style.

Within moments all around the the flat women stood watching this strange stranger who

stood naked in was painted by a woman! Which was the most scandalous thing a woman

could do in Calcuttan urban society. Immoral, but she had the support of her husband.

The galery itself had politely refused such a performance to take place within the gallery

compounds. The entire performance was doen in front of Calcutta TV, but I went only as

far as my underwear, even theat was too much for TV. It never got broadcasted.

Some footage of the film shot by Bengali director Ray Sandip, the farthest I was allowed to

strip was down to my lycra painted bermudas.

For my 37th birthday I got an acrylic painting on paper, made by Hiram, husband of Mitra

who had painted my body live with these patterns for the Tribal Connection performance

on her rooftop.

The Last Supper 1997

Painting my Krixna in Udaipur on the rooftop of my guest house with stone colours.

Thai Heroes II (a restauration of a Thai Apollo’s manhood) 1997

Adivasi 2000

A translation of this, please (an article about me in Kathandu 2001)

A Blue God on the Beach

2003

A give-away carricature for a benefit in the promotion of tourism in Goa

Impromptu singing of mine in Panjim, capital of Goa, to save the nearly extinct Rain trees,

a heritage from the Portuguese who planted them there in the 16th century.

King Toot 2003 and below Lady Boy 2003

The Icon Hotel rstaurant hwer I hung some of my work.

My Manneken Pis, famous symbol of Brussels and Geraardsbergen, both cities claim to be

the first to have started the legend of a little boy, who had doused the flames of a house

set on fire by the Spaniards, tyrants who occupied of Belgium for centuries.

But there are two more legends. Anyway here I turned it into a Manga kind of Manneken

(first Flemish word that became internationally used, as it means little boy. In French it

became mannequin).

32 Artists were asked to make their own Manneken with a plaster mould they fom the

town Geraardsbergen, which also house a museum of our Manneken. All the artworks

were then auctioned. I don’t know who has mine.

At Play in the Fields of the Lord 1996

Alann with Belgian Ambassador Mr. Frank Van Der Craen, during my exhibition in La Paz in

the Academia de Bellas Artes 2005.

Chico Rupester 2004

Academia de Bellas Artes Cusco: My installation “Pachamama (Mother Earth) is ill” 2006

Februari 2006 El convento de Santo Domingo better known as la Qoricancha (the former

Inca Sun Temple over whcih the Dominicans built their Church)

My performance at The Inca Sun Temple (Qoricancha) 2006

Jesus loves you 2006

Extra Rupestres 2004

Tribal Twins 2004

Tayta Inti Bailando 2008

Apus 2009

Inaugurating my show Mundo Chamán (Shaman World)

Moche Man 2008

Are all shamen phoney in Cusco?

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