René Julien, born on June 18, 1937 in Hollogne-aux-Pierres and died on April 17, 2016 in Cavaillon (France), is a Belgian artist.
René Julien studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liege from 1951 to 1957. Soon after, he moved to Brussels, where he distinguished himself by creating stained glass, frescoes and decorative panels.
From 1960 to 1965, he was a professor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liege. In 1969, he was appointed director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
From 1976 to 1980, Julien made his first sculptural jewelry and flatware. In 1977, he created a monumental sculpture for the sports and water sports center of Butgenbach, a weather vane of 3 meters high.
From 1981 to 1984, he exhibited at the Biennial of Contemporary Art in Liege (paintings, sculptures, drawings). He was awarded the City and Visitors Prize (Department of Var, France).
From 1985 to 1990, he created a sculpture in the Parliament of Brussels in the Amnesty International room, an original color lithograph for the Belgian Olympic riding team and a prestige medal for the Brussels International Jumping. He creates the “Damnations” series. He became an inspector with the French Commission for the Visual Arts.
From 1991 to 1995, he created a series of sculptures for the Persgroep press in Asse. He created a monumental sculpture (5 meters high) “L’envol de la Wallonie” for the Walloon Government and the sculpture “Le Saute-Mouton” Hôtel des Ponts et Chaussées (Liège).
From 1996 to 1998, he placed a group of eight female characters on the façade of the Charlemagne building of the European Communities, rue de la Loi in Brussels and a bronze “Valerie au cerceau” in the park of the Château de La Hulpe in Brussels. He creates a sculpture “Le Génie des Galeries” for the 150th anniversary of the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels and places two bronze figures for Axa insurance in Brussels.
From 1999 to 2001, he placed two bronze sculptures for the company G.T.S in Hoeilaart. From 2002 to 2006, he created a series of bronzes on the theme of the “sublimation of the love relationship”.
From 2006 to 2007, he exhibited at the Cafmeyer gallery in Zoute, Belgium. From October to April, he exhibits 80 sculptures at the Musée Campredon, Maison René Char in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France.
In 2008, he created the sculptures “Life Size” at the Keukenhof estate (The Netherlands) and had a permanent exhibition at the Noordeinde gallery in The Hague. He also exhibits in Lyon, Paris and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. From June to October, he exhibits monumental sculptures throughout the city of Beaune. On this occasion, Gérard Corbiau, Belgian director (Le Maître de musique, Farinelli, Le roi danse) starts shooting a film (55 min) dedicated to René Julien.
From 2009 to 2010, he exhibited the sculptures “Life Size” in the French gardens of the square in Etterbeek. He exhibits monumental and other sculptures in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels with the help of Art Thema.
In 2011, he is preparing a book on the most recent small and large sculptures with texts by the philosopher Jacques Salomé. Gérard Corbiau finishes his film on René Julien (editing, original music) for broadcast on various TV channels during the year. He exhibited at the Cercle International, Château Sainte-Anne in Brussels, in the salons and gardens. From October to December, he exhibits in the park of the Château de Bousval.
In 2012, the book on his sculptural work Rêveries autour d’un rêve éveillé was published. He participates in various contemporary art fairs and is permanent in different galleries. In July 2013, he exhibited at the Domaine de la Citadelle – Musée du tire-bouchon in Ménerbes. Then from September to October 2013 he exhibits sculptures at the Maison de la Truffe still in Ménerbes.
In 2014, he exhibited at the Bernard Boesch Museum in La Baule, France. In December 2016 is realized an exhibition making the retrospective of his work at the Art Thema gallery, introduced by Jacques Bredael.
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