his book - University Liggett School

silhouette from a 19 th century German monastery,restored by the artist and laser cutI shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost,1916, excerptOff the WalA mini-retrospective of drawings, paintings,and installations byCARL DEMEULENAERENovember 11 – December 14, 2011ReceptionFriday, November 18, 7:00pm – 9:00pmUniversity Liggett SchoolManoogian Arts Wing1045 Cook RoadGrosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236ls2

University Liggett SchoolManoogian Arts WingThis exhibition is dedicated to my late parents,Cyril and Virginia Demeulenaere.open Mondays-Fridays, 8:00am – 5:00pmclosed weekends and on November 23, 24, 25for information, call: (313)884-4444 x 313or email: jpujdowski@uls.org4

Introductionthe artist©2011 Carl DemeulenaereAll rights reserved.No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in any formwithout the written permission of the artist.There are many who make art and there are a fewof those art-makers who can actually be called‘artists.’ Carl Demeulenaere is one of thoseart-makers whose work goes beyond just themaking of things; it is an extension of himself andexpresses his passions and emotions, as well as hiscreative concepts and exceptional technical skill.It’s art with a message. His commitment to theexploration of challenging subjects through hishighly developed skills in drawing, painting andassemblage is unwavering, and his pursuit ofsympathetic understanding and his determinedinterest in the characters and conditions that arethe focus of his work have been consistentthroughout the practice of his craft.Carl’s work is seductive in its beauty. Color,subject, classical reference and refined renderingdraw us into a mysterious world of unfamiliarfigures and haunting conditions. As viewers, we6

are challenged more than satisfied. We areconfronted and not appeased. We are provokedand bear the responsibility of investing inunderstanding.Communication without words; works ofimpressive beauty; enigmatic expressions ofa complex personality; issues of relevance;expressions of caring—these are the substance ofCarl’s work and the reason for us to take notice.Kenneth R. Gross, Director (retired)Art Museum Project / Alfred Berkowitz GalleryUniversity of Michigan-DearbornForewordIn every few generations, there is an artist whocaptures one’s attention with the work he creates.Carl Demeulenaere is such an artist. I have knownhis work for over thirty years. While taking classesat Wayne State University, I would hear his namerepeated like a mantra.Upon viewing a work by Carl Demeulenaere,your mind will immediately deny that you arewitnessing something created by a human being.You will check your knowledge-based memoryand remind yourself of every great work of artthat you ever viewed. A splash of awareness willthen gush over you, and you’ll realize what youare viewing is equal to the best work by any ofthe Great Masters. While artists work towardsdeveloping their skill level, Carl Demeulenaerecontinues to overwhelm us with his gift.8

Students, parents, and this community will beenriched because it is Carl Demeulenaere’s choiceto exhibit here. While putting together thisexhibition, Carl said, “It is essential for studentsto look at art. I like the atmosphere of this school,and I want to show my work in this space.” Afterhis first visit, Carl graciously met with studentsand shared aspects of his life with them. Manystudents said that he was generous with his timeand that he wanted to know more about thegoals in their lives. It gives me great pleasure tointroduce this amazing artist and to have CarlDemeulenaere exhibit his art at UniversityLiggett School.Jim Pujdowski, Gallery Coordinator, 2011The Anderson Exhibition Centerin The Manoogian Arts WingArtist’s StatementMy drawings have employed a detailed techniquefor two decades and have often been integratedinto installations. Conflicts arising from history,religion, sexuality, race, and prejudice are issues I’vecontinued to address. Growing up a gay Catholicin a racially mixed, Eastside Detroit neighborhood,my schoolbooks negated homosexuality, mychurch prayed to heal me, acting on sexual impulsecondemned me, and prejudice was directed towardme. I was often bullied—a universal problemexisting to this day. I’ve come away a better personwho can speak about these experiences in mydrawings and installation work. Many people havealso coped with the deaths of parents and friendswho’ve helped through difficult years. I’ve onlybegun to examine this sad reality. I’m now strivingto capture some of the ways in which we, asindividuals, respond to life’s uncertainty and death’sinevitability. This has led to a deeper interest inspirituality, mysticism, and parapsychology.10

My installations structurally and thematicallyrelate to the drawings they present in intriguingways—e.g., the classical Spanish Arcada, housingworks comparing strife during the SpanishInquisition to conflicts between the UnitedStates and Middle East today. I find that spacesbetween viewers and installations are chargedwith a palpable tension that’s more arrestingthan spaces between viewers and wall mountedartwork. These projects add an architectural andsculptural dimension to my imagery.This small book will take the viewer on anexploration of four installations, with pageintervals picturing objects and excerpting poemsand stories that have meant something specialto me.Carl Demeulenaere12

utterflies and bee collected by the artistTo see a world in a grain of sandAnd a heaven in a wild flower,Hold infinity in the palm of your handAnd eternity in an hour.Auguries of Innocence by William Blake,1803, excerpt14

A Window Unto Three Realmswood, paint, glass, lights,enclosing 3 drawings;11 ½' x 4' x 3 ½'; 200916

The Past in Mythcolored pencil, acrylic,gold and aluminum leaf;8" x 9" x 1/8"; 198018

A Presence in Dreamscolored pencil, acrylic, leather,rhinestones, gold leaf;10" x 8"; 198720

Beyond Other Worldscolored pencil, acrylic, brass,stained glass, mylar;14" x 11" x ¼"; 199222

Arcadawood, paint, glass, lights,enclosing 3 drawings and 3 digital prints;11 ½' x 9' x 5'; 201026

Requiem Prayercolored pencil;5 ½" x 3 ½"; 200628

Ambers, Garnetdetails: colored pencil, garnet;5 ½" x 3 ½"; 201130

Bistre and Ashcolored pencil,mixed media digital, blood;5 ½" x 3 ½"; 201132

origami created by the artistHe was my North, my South, my East and West,My working week and Sunday rest,My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.Twelve Songs by W. H. Auden,1936, excerpt34

Vitrinewood, paint, plexiglass;5 ½' x 4 ½' x 3 ½'; 201136

Woman at Windowacrylic;4 ½" x 4"; 197438

Black Arcwood, masonite, acrylic, rhinestones,containing 3 watercolor paintings;6" x 4' x 1"; 1980Veiled Womanwatercolor, acrylic, boar’s hair, canvas;4" x 11" x 1/8"; 198040

Falkland Islandswatercolor, acrylic, feather;1 ¾" x 3" x 1/8"; 1980Giftwatercolor, acrylic, aluminum leaf;1 ¾" x 3" x 1/8"; 198042

Betrothedacrylic, gold leaf, brass,velvet, wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 199344

Kourosacrylic, brass, velvet,wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 199346

Evensongoil, brass, velvet,wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 199548

Josephoil, brass, velvet,wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 199550

Pater Nosteroil, brass, velvet,avonite frame;3 ½" x 4"; 199652

Nan Wood Graham and Carla DeWildoil, gold leaf, brass,velvet, avonite frame;3" x 2 ½"; 199654

Mezzogiornocolored pencil, brass, velvet,wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 200056

Los Penitentescolored pencil, brass, velvet,avonite frame;3" x 2 ½"; 200158

Los Penitentescolored pencil, brass, velvet,avonite frame;3" x 2 ½"; 200160

Danse Macabrecolored pencil, gold leaf;5" x 4"; 200362

Ibis Diptych: Scarlet Ibiscolored pencil, gold leaf, brass;4" x 3"; 200464

66Ibis Diptych: Sacred Ibiscolored pencil, rhinestone, brass;4" x 3"; 2005

Krampuscolored pencil, gold leaf,gold plated charm;1" x ½", locket: 1 ½" x ¾" x 1/8"; 200968

Is He an Anonymous or a Hieronymus?colored pencil, gold plated charm;1" x ½", locket: 1 ½" x ¾" x 1/8"; 201070

Shh!colored pencil, rhinestone;3" x 3"; 201072

Angeluscolored pencil, latex, flocked paper,beads, rosebuds, satin;7" x 5" x 1"; 201074

Memento Mori Pocket Watchcolored pencil, antique metalpocket watch, rhinestone;3" diameter, watch: 3 ¾" x 3 ¼" x ½"; 201076

Raffaella and Human Follycolored pencil, brass, velvet, wood case;3" x 2 ½"; 201178

amber skull from the 19 th century, gifted to the artistTo each dimension, as, with the flight of time,it disappears from view, we should say:now you are becoming the Past. But possibly laterat a critical—perhaps fortunate—moment we maymeet again on a new dimension, and once againyou may become the Present.Über die moderne Kunst by Paul Klee,1924, excerpt of lecture at Jena Kunstverein80

Loggiawood, paint, glass,displaying 3 drawings;7' x 3 ½' x 1'; 201082

La Gloriacolored pencil, gold leaf,incised mat;3 ½" x 3"; 200184

Maguscolored pencil, gold leaf,incised mat;3 ½" x 3"; 200286

L’Orrorecolored pencil, gold leaf,incised mat;3 ½" x 3"; 200788

ResumeBiographical Informationmilagro from the 19 th century, gifted to the artistIf you can force your heart and nerve and sinewTo serve your turn long after they are gone,And so hold on when there is nothing in youExcept the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;If by Rudyard Kipling,1895, excerptEducation: BFA 1979, MFA Candidate 1981,Wayne State University, Detroit, MIAddress: 263 Roosevelt Place, Grosse Pointe,MI 48230Website: www.carls-artwork.comPhone: (313) 886-5474One Person Exhibitions2013 Labyrinth, (slated), Flint Institute of Arts,Flint, MI2011 Off the Walls, University Liggett SchoolManoogian Arts Wing, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI1996 The New American, University of MichiganMuseum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI1993 Sanctuary, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI90

Selected Group Exhibitions and Awards2011 Gift of a Lifetime: Selections from the JamesPearson Duffy Collection, Detroit Institute ofArts, Detroit, MIMichigan Annual XXXVII, Anton Art Center,Mt. Clemens, MI; Honorable MentionSMALL(er) SHOW, Detroit Artists Market,Detroit, MIArtWorks, Willys Overland Lofts, Detroit, MI2010 Small Matters of Great Importance, EdwardHopper House Art Center, Nyack, NYArtPrize, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum,Grand Rapids, MIRobert Wilbert: Teacher, Mentor, Friend,Invitational, Scarab Club, Detroit, MIArtWorks, College for Creative Studies’ Bensonand Edith Ford Conference Center, Detroit, MI2009 73rd National Midyear Show, The ButlerInstitute of American Art, Youngstown, OHArtPrize Inaugural, DeVos Place, GrandRapids, MI49th Annual Greater MI Art Exhibition,Midland Ctr. for the Arts, Midland, MI;Excellence in Technique AwardOpen Competition 2009, University ofMichigan-Dearborn, Alfred Berkowitz Gallery;Best in Show2008 Andres Serrano Picks Detroit, College forCreative Studies’ Center Galleries, Detroit, MIOpen Competition 2008, University ofMichigan-Dearborn, Alfred Berkowitz Gallery;Honorable MentionMichigan Annual XXXIV, Anton Art Center,Mt. Clemens, MI; Third PrizeMichigan Fine Arts Competition,Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, MI;Honorable Mention92

2007 71st National Midyear Show, The ButlerInstitute of American Art, Youngstown, OHExplore This! 4 Exhibition, City of BreaGallery, Brea, CAOpen Competition 2007, University ofMichigan-Dearborn, Alfred Berkowitz Gallery;Second Prize2006 70th National Midyear Show, The ButlerInstitute of American Art, Youngstown, OH;Honorable MentionMidwest Color 2006, Schaumburg PrairieCenter for the Arts, Schaumburg, IL;Judges Mention27th Annual Michigan Artists Competition,Art Center of Battle Creek, MI; Best of ShowGrants, Fellowships, Scholarships,Honorariums, Awards, and Residencies2011 Michigan AIDS Coalition Award forDistinguished Volunteerism, MAC,Ferndale, MI2004 La Romita Residency, Terni, Italy2002 Detroit Artists Market Honorarium, Biennial20022000 Fulbright Research Grant, Finalist, Rome, ItalyFundación Valparaíso Residency, MojácarPlaya, Spain1998 Creative Artist Grant, ArtServe MI with MICouncil for Arts and Cultural AffairsRockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Study andConference Center Residency, Bellagio, ItalyVilla Montalvo Residency, Saratoga, CA1997 Millay Colony for the Arts Residency,Austerlitz, NYRome Prize Fellowship, Alternate I, AmericanAcademy in Rome, New York, NY94

1996 Blue Mountain Center Residency, BlueMountain Lake, NYRagdale Foundation Residency, Lake Forest, IL1995 Art Matters Inc. Fellowship, Rockefeller Fdn.,Andy Warhol Fdn., and Philip Morris Cos. Inc.,NY, NY1994 Arts Midwest/NEA Regional Visual ArtistFellowship, Minneapolis, MNRegional Artists’ Projects Grant, Randolph St.Gal., Chicago, IL with Ntl. Afro-Amer. Mus.and Cult. Ctr., OH1993 Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation, Inc. Grant,Brooklyn, NYMini-Grant, Detroit Council of the Arts withMI Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs1992 Creative Artist Grant, Arts Foundation of MIwith MI Council for Arts and Cultural AffairsArt Matters Inc. Fellowship, Rockefeller Fdn.,Andy Warhol Fdn., and Philip Morris Cos. Inc.,NY, NY79/80 Graduate Professional Scholarship, WayneState University, Detroit, MI1979 Elizabeth Donovan Graham Scholarship,Detroit Artists MarketItaly ’79 Residency, three months in Positano,Rome, Siena, Florence, Assisi, and Venice, ItalyItaly ’79 Scholarship, Wayne State University,Detroit, MISelected CollectionsDetroit Institute of Arts / University of MI Museum ofArt / Wayne State University / Battle Creek Art CenterMuseum / Venus Bronze Works / Mr. & Mrs. JohnStroh, III / estate of James P. Duffy / Andrew & GayleCamden / Pat Shaw / Ross & Barbara Bunting / DirkBakker & Hope Palmer / Skip Davis / Sergio DeGiusti96

Selected Lectures and Educational ProjectsEastsider/Outsider: Growing Up in Detroit, GayStraight Alliance, Univ. Liggett School, Grosse PointeWoods, MI, 5/4/11La Romita Lecture, La Romita Residency, Terni, Italy,9/26/04My Work through 2004, Literature course on HIVand AIDS, Madonna University, Livonia, MI, 5/19/04Symposium: How to Survive as an Artist in Detroit,Meadow Brook Art Gallery, Rochester, MI, 3/31/01Presentation, Fundación Valparaíso Residency,Mojácar Playa, Spain, 1/25/00Rockefeller Foundation Lecture, Bellagio Study andConference Center Residency, Bellagio, Italy, 12/9/98Image Making, Outreach Program for Troubled Teens,Villa Montalvo Residency, Saratoga, CA, 9/9/98Installation Work through 1997, Millay Colony forthe Arts Residency, Austerlitz, NY, 10/27/97The New American: New Perspectives on Gay MaleRelationships, Univ. of MI Mus. of Art, Ann Arbor,MI, 7/26/96Bibliography and ReviewsDetroit Home, “ArtWorks Auction Joins Dining byDesign,” by Susan Todebush, pg. 54, Winter 2010-11The Detroit News, “My Time: Art for the Heart of it,”by Michael H. Hodges, pg. 22M, 9/20/07Signature Magazine, “Artist for Life,” by Liz Hill, pgs.18-19, March/April 2006Detroit Free Press, “The Way We Live: Miniature Art,Big Heart,” by Frank Provenzano, pgs. 1G, 6G, 9/17/04C & G Newspapers, “Seeing Anew, Artist Returns toPainting Career…,” by K. Michelle Moran, pgs. 1-2B,9/25/02The Detroit News, “Detroit Artist Updates ‘AmericanGothic’,” by Joy Hakanson Colby, pg. 5F, 8/1/9698

Related ExperienceArtWorks, Art Auction Committee, 16 years of artdonations and service to the Michigan AIDS Coalition(MAC)100

the artist as Carlotta in Sue Carman-Vian’sperformance, It Takes One to be One,Marygrove College Theatre, Detroit, 2000A thing of beauty is a joy forever:Its loveliness increases; it will neverPass into nothingness;Endymion by John Keats,1818, excerpt102

Notesorigami created by the artistAll the names I know from nurse:Gardener’s garters, Shepherd’s purse,Bachelor’s buttons, Lady’s smock,And the Lady Hollyhock.Fairy places, fairy things,Fairy woods where the wild bee wings,Tiny trees for tiny dames—These must all be fairy names!The Flowers by Robert Louis Stevenson,1883, excerpt104

106

Acknowledgementsorigami created by the artistThe stars are suspended on strings thatare pulled up in the daytime and let downat night.Babylonian Mythology,3000 B.C.I would like to thank Bruce Abe, a talented woodcraftsman,for constructing my installations, Kenneth R. Gross forhis introduction, and Jim Pujdowski for his foreword.I would also like to give a special thanks to the GyroCreative Group for their patient assistance in designingthis book. I am grateful to the following individuals andinstitutions for either loaning back artwork or helpingme in some other facet of this exhibit.Dirk Bakker and Hope PalmerSharon BertgesWendy Bertges YostRoss and Barbara BuntingEd and DeAnna CarmanSue Carman-VianBen and Ilene CieszkowskiJoel CieszkowskiKurt CieszkowskiVivian DayJim and Pam DemeulenaereDetroit Institute of ArtsPeter GahanCathy GikasGiorgio GikasJeff GuidoDr. Dan and Janet HaddadRobert and Chris HensleighJan KornackiBabette LumleyLou and Barbara OlgiatiJulia ParishWilliam PignonelloQMI Group, Inc.Pat ShawJohn Stroh, IIIJim and Kris ToreyUniversity Liggett SchoolEric VesteRick VianJeff Yost108

CreditsThis book could not have been realized without the fineexpertise of photographers Robert “Shell” Hensleigh andS. Kay Young. I wish to credit Tim Thayer, Eric Wheeler,Dirk Bakker, and Michelle Stamler, as well. Severalimages were worked on by more than one photographer.Robert Hensleigh, pages: 15, 17, 19, 21, 25, 29, 31, 35,37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73,75, 77, 81, 83, 85, 87S. Kay Young, pages: 1, 6, 13, 23, 33, 79, 89, 99, 101,105, 109Tim Thayer, page 77Eric Wheeler, pages: 27, 55, 57, 59, 61, 81Dirk Bakker, pages: 39, 41Michelle Stamler, pages: 93, 99110

early Christian design devised as asilhouette by the artist, and laser cutand it was always said of him,that he knew how to keep Christmas well,if any man alive possessed the knowledge.May that be truly said of us, and all of us!And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens,1843, excerpt112