André Willequet 1921-1998

Drawn to modelling from an early age, Willequet waited until his family returned to Belgium in 1940, after a childhood spent in Luxembourg, to pursue studies in sculpture. He joined the class of Oscar Jespers at La Cambre. He later traveled to France, where he met Ossip Zadkine, Henri Laurens, and Constantin Brancusi. Awarded of a scholarship in 1951, he went to study at the Royal College of Art in London where he became acquainted with Henry Moore. In 1959, he stayed in Rome and Florence, and spent two months in Austria participating in a symposium that allowed him to practice direct carving in the open air. Adventurous in spirit, Willequet never shied away from the challenges imposed by the materials. He worked equally with stone and wood, while also appreciating the qualities of lost-wax casting and bronze. Each material offered an opportunity to explore different approaches and tools, yet ultimately conveyed the same message. A reflective artist, Willequet developed a body of work imbued with Eastern spirituality, in which void and mass acquire equal value. Whether figurative or abstract, his sculptures are rooted in a thought process closely linked to life and invite contemplative, meditative engagement.