In Chris Gillis' work, visual elements are taken out of their original context, recycled and deconstructed to ultimately form the foundation for a new story.
She works with paper scraps, ready-made images, and textures from printmaking.
Chris Gillis draws from a variety of sources. Aspects of biographical and everyday perception, elements from landscape and culture. These become intertwined with each other or are reduced to abstract areas of color.
All these sources undergo a recycling process. In a collage-like manner, reality is dismantled and reconstructed at will. The means have become the motif. On the one hand controlled and on the other hand she allows coincidence to play a role. Like a dream works, several impressions are transformed into a synthesis of reality.
Chris Gillis studied printmaking at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and studied painting for 2 years at the Escola Das Belas Artes in Lisbon. From 1991 she exhibited in several spaces, mainly with paintings and graphic work.
From 1997 until 2006 she was actively involved in the artist’s initiative Factor44 in Antwerp, where she collaborated on a regular basis with several artists in a spatial context.
From 2002 to 2014 she worked primarily with video. However, her exhibitions departed from an overall concept, in which different media were often used.
Besides exhibitions Chris Gillis also realized video documents, with a focus on underground events (Performances in visual arts and experimental music).
Since 2016, her work mostly consists of works in paper, i.e. in print, collage and montage.
Chris Gillis (Belgium, °1962)
Lives and works in Antwerp.
Artist multimedia: 2 dimensional works, film and video installations.
Teacher since 1999:
AP - Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Fashion Department, Antwerp Belgium.
Digital Imaging in 1st, 2nd and 3th Bachelor.
Studies :
1981-1986 - Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp - printmaking.
1986-1987 - Escola Superior de Belas Artes Lisboa, Portugal - printmaking and painting.
2002-2005 - Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp - video and film.
EXHIBITIONS :
Solo exhibitions
2024 - aip Artspace, Antwerp Belgium: works with paper and collages.
2017 - Haecken & Ooghen, Antwerp Belgium: drawings - collages and digital drawings.
2011 - Second Room, Antwerp Belgium: ‘PRESS ESC.’ – collage and video, collab.w/ New Root Canal.
2010 - Warande, Turnhout Belgium: ‘ARASTT, a sculpture to transform’, initiative Hans Wuyts – installation, video, painting - collab.w/ Rufus Michielsen.
2010 - Vanessa Quang Gallery, Paris, France : video- projection + installation and prints.
2008 - Volta art fair, Basel, Switzerland - video installation ‘Inside, into the frame’
2008 - Dagmar De Pooter Gallery, Antwerp Belgium - video installation ‘Inside, into the frame’
2007 - De Branderij, Antwerp Belgium: Chris Gillis and Rufus, ‘Stranger than Paradise’ - video and painting.
2005 - Factor 44, Antwerp Belgium: Chris Gillis and Rufus, ‘Rialto Perspective’ - installation and projection.
1995 - Quarantaine Artspace, Antwerp Belgium - painting, silkscreen and assemblages.
1995 - Oscar D. Graphic Design, Antwerp Belgium - painting and silkscreen.
1995 - Cultureel Centrum RIX, Antwerp Belgium : Chris Gillis and Eric Stappaerts - paintings.
1994 - Jordaenshuis, Antwerp Belgium - paintings and collages.
1991 - Parbleu Artspace, Antwerp Belgium - collages, painting and silkscreen.
Group exhibitions
2022 - PONTI Gallery, Antwerp Belgium: curated by Yoeri Vanlangendonck - duo composition, collage and acrylic composition on wood.
2020 - F44(SIC) Antwerp Belgium: ‘INFINITY POOL’, curated by Nadia Bijl - works on paper/collage and videomontage collab.w/ Michael Curran.
2019 - Gold Und Beton, Köln Germany: 'VERBOTENE STADT' - work in plaster and collages + installation.
2019 - Kasteel Hof De Bist, Ekeren Belgium: 'CERES', curated by Jelle Spruyt - collages.
2018 - Haecken & Ooghen, Antwerp Belgium - printwork/modification/collage.
2018 - NICC, Antwerp: Birthday expo - modification in paper and gouache.
2018 - Het Bos, Antwerp Belgium: ‘DESTINATION EARTH’ - installation of prints/collage. Publication.
2014 - SMAC Berlin, Germany: Flashback - Meditations on Memory and Film - 'Reminiscence', video. curated by Charlotte Van Buylaere.
2013 - MOMU, Antwerp Belgium: Happy BD Dear Academie – ‘Teaching fashion’ - video installation.
2012 / 2015 - F44(SIC), Antwerp Belgium: ‘NEMA TOG PODRUMA I, II and III’, curated by Ignace De Bruyn - videoinstallations.
2011 - vzw. Emma, Antwerp Belgium: EXPOJAJA - initiative Rufus Michielsen and Chris Gillis - digital print.
2010 - Martin Van Blerk Gallery, Antwerp Belgium: ‘Believe in your dreams’ - ‘Biking girl’ - video in loop.
2010 - NICC Antwerp Belgium: ‘POP ART’ Scheld’apen at NICC - videoinstallation collab.w/ Rufus Michielsen.
2009 - Exhibition in a MATCHBOX, Antwerp Belgium, initiative Hans Wuyts and Middelheim Antwerp: 'Reminiscence' - video installation.
2009 - Dagmar De Pooter Gallery, Antwerp Belgium - 'PLAISIR D' OFFRIR 2', 'Situated', projection/painting.
2009 - Logement, Antwerp Belgium: 'TikTak Marginaal', Performance event - 'Hot Vodoo', projection.
2008 - Martin Van Blerk Gallery, Antwerp Belgium: 'VICTIM DESIGN' - sound piece.
2008 - Echo.Base, Antwerp Belgium: 'Imaging Movements' - projection 'Master of ceremonies'
2007 - De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam Holland: 'KOPSTOOT, 30 years of Antwerp postpunk and underground' - 'Sunlight Forever - Radio Centraal', videofilm.
2006 - Art can be your Xmas tree - Van De Wervestraat, Antwerp Belgium : ‘Viaggi en Sardegna’, videofilm
2006 - Extra (SIC)10 F44, Extra City, Antwerp Belgium: ‘Perform on a pedestal’ - video and sculpture - installation.
2006 - PoriPerf 06. Pori, Finland: Gallery 3H+K , Performance event. Videofilm.
2006 - Factor44 Antwerp Belgium: ‘No Name Exhibition’ - ‘Situated’, video installation.
2003 - Art festival / Culture night, Den Haag, Holland: Ruimte Quartair: “Happening/installation Cour-Jardin F44”.
1997 / 2010 - Factor 44 Antwerp Belgium: Monthly group exhibitions ‘Jours Fixe’.
1999 - “Impression”, Genève, Switzerland. initiative Tony Morgan, former member of Fluxus.
1997 - Mekanik Strip Gallery, Antwerp Belgium: digital prints.
1996 - Cultureel Centrum Ter Rivieren, Antwerp Belgium. assemblages.
1993 - St-Bernardusabdij, Antwerp Belgium: ‘BernARTdus’ initiative Johan Pas - painting and silkscreen.
1992 - Stadsschouwburg, Antwerp Belgium: ‘Antwerpse Kunstinitiatieven’ - collages and silkscreen.
Videowork and films
2012 - “F.L.U.T. appendix nr.12” - for Instrumental F.L.U.T. project, Ruimte Quartair Den Haag, Holland.
2009 - "Reminiscence" - for the Exhibition in a Matchbox, Antwerp - dvd in loop, part of installation.
2009 - "Performing Hot Vodoo" video collage, dvd 5'.
2008 - “Flying house", "Archetypes" - 2 dvd's in loop, shown in video-installation 'Inside, into the frame'.
2008 - "Day by night", "Talk-Talk", "Biking girl" - 3 dvd's in loop, shown in installation 'Inside, into the frame'.
2007 - “Shore Dance, 4000BC, Heini’s Permanent Walk” On a log - 3 dvd's in loop, video-installation.
2007 - “Master of Ceremonies” - artvideo - dvd in loop.
2007 - “Silent Glimpse” - artvideo - dvd in loop.
2006 - “Danza Penùltimo” - Made for the 10th anniversary of F44 - videocollage dvd 5’.
2006 - "Situated" - artvideo, dvd in loop.
2006 - “DDV Placemats Attack” - for the exhibition ‘Danny Devos in China’ - Performance video, collab.w/ Rufus - dvd in loop.
2005 - “Sunlight Forever” collab.w/ Rufus, for ‘Radio Centraal vanuit Villadelfia, Antwerpen’ - Docu dvd 72’.
2005 - “De Minotaurus, zeven distributeurs en een penisballet” - Perfo Ludo Mich at ICC - Docu. dvd 30’.
2005 - “Lost in Traktor” - videodocument for Traktor, Antwerp based band. collab.w/ Rufus - dvd 15’.
2004 - “You were never lovelier” - for ‘Projective workings, video projection Salon F44’ - short, dvd 2’.
2004 - “The log” - for ‘50/50 meeting, F44 Antwerp/Patacycliste Brussels at Retie’ - short, dvd 4’.
2004 - “Hairloss options. Do nothing.” - for the exhibition ‘Unique Sensationelle’ F44, Antwerp, collab.w/ Rufus - film dvd 23’.
2004 - “Viaggi en Sardegna” - short, dvd 10’.
2004 - “Oh boy!” - short, dvd 8’.
2003 - “Nocturne F44 @ Quartair” - videodoc of the ‘Video-performance-labyrinth Den Haag 2003’ - dvd 20’.
2003 - “A-Man VS Ito Takashi” for Project TV-Centraal F44 Antwerp. collab.w/ Harry Heirmans - short, dvd 8’.
2002 - “Fatale confrontatie” - short, dvd 8’.