Pierre Carl Vermeulen
About
Pierre Vermeulen was born in 1992 in Stellenbosch, and currently lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2015 and Masters in Visual Arts in 2021 from the University of Stellenbosch.
In 2023, Vermeulen presented Formats for Transition, a solo exhibition with Reservoir Projects in Cape Town, and participated in the presentations of WHATIFTHEWORLD gallery, Cape Town, South Africa, at Artissima, Art Cologne, Art Abu Dhabi, miart and with Prometeo Gallery at miart, Milan. Vermeulen also took part in the group exhibition: Of their time (7), A look at private collections at the museum Frac Grand Large, Dunkerque, France.
Pierre Vermeulen’s practice is rooted in the embodied rituals of meditation. His works are characterised by his use of imitation gold leaf on Belgian linen and sweat for its corrosive relationship – using orchids woven from human hair, Vermeulen has developed a technique to create oxidised imprints on the surface of the gold leaf. The unconventional materials used by Vermeulen challenges the boundaries between painting, installation and alchemy, inviting us to reconsider our relationship with these mediums.
Vermeulen has presented various solo exhibitions in Cape Town, including: Thoughts Think Themselves (2021), a solo exhibition as part of his Masters presentation, an Artist Room (2020), Of Itself (2018) in Johannesburg, and Pierre Vermeulen (2017).
Selected group exhibitions include Matereality, a group exhibition at Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, and A Show of Solidarity at SMAC Gallery in Cape Town, in support of the South African Solidarity Fund during a nationwide enforced lockdown, both in 2020; Forward! Forward? Forward…, at the Stellenbosch University Museum in Stellenbosch (2019); Folly at SMITH in Cape Town (2017); and Restore at the Gallery University Stellenbosch (GUS), Stellenbosch (2016).
In 2018, Vermeulen presented a solo booth at Artissima in Turin, Italy and his works have been included in various group presentations including Contemporary Istanbul. Pierre Vermeulen’s work was recently selected for the prestigious Pinakothek der Moderne PIN. Benefit Auction.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
| 2024 | Upcoming solo exhibition, WHATIFTHEWORLD X Krone, Twee Jonge Gezellen, Tulbagh |
| 2023 | Formats for Transition, Reservoir Projects, Cape Town |
| 2021 | Thoughts think themselves, Masters Exhibition, SMAC Stellenbosch |
| 2020 | Artist Room, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town |
| 2018 | Artissima (SMAC Gallery), Oval Lingoto Fiere, Turin, Italy |
| Of Itself, SMAC Gallery, Johannesburg | |
| 2017 | Pierre Vermeulen, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town |
| Sweat Prints, Association for Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| 2023 | Of their time (7), A look at private collections at Frac Grand Large, Dunkerque, France |
| Oh So Quiet - WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town | |
| Of their time (7), A look at private collections. Frac Grand Large - Hauts-de-France, 503 av. des Bancs de Flandres, 59140 Dunkerque / France | |
| miart (WHATIFTHEWORLD), Fiera Milano City, Milan, Italy | |
| miart (Prometeo), Fiera Milano City, Milan, Italy | |
| 2022 | Artissima (SMAC Gallery), Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Turin, Italy |
| FNB Art Joburg (SMAC Gallery), Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Kindred, Boschendal Norval Art Gallery, Franschhoek, South Africa | |
| MiArt (SMAC Gallery), Fiera Milano City, Milan, Italy | |
| Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa | |
| Matereality, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. A Show of Solidarity, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa | |
| Investec Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 2021 | Weekend Special, Cape Town Art Weekend, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa |
| Opening Exhibition, FNB Art Joburg, SMAC Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Investec Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Digital Event | |
| 2020 | FNB Art Joburg (SMAC Gallery), Digital Edition |
| Artissima (SMAC Gallery), Digital Edition | |
| 2019 | That Was Then, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa |
| Artissima (SMAC Gallery), Oval Lingotto Fiere, Turin, Italy | |
| FNB Art Joburg (SMAC Gallery), Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Art Brussels (SMAC Gallery), Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium | |
| Investec Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 2018 | Forward? Forward! Forward..., Stellenbosch University Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
| Wish You Were Here, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa | |
| FNB Joburg Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| Investec Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 2017 | Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa |
| Folly, SMITH Studio, Cape Town, South Africa | |
| Contemporary Istanbul 12th Edition (SMAC Gallery), Cultural Arena, Istanbul, Turkey | |
| X: Part III, Smac Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa | |
| 2016 | Restore, Gus Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
| Sasol New Signatures, Finalist Exhibition, Pretoria Arts Museum, Pretoria, South Africa | |
| 2015 | Portretteer/Portrait, Oude Libertas Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
| 2013 | Pentimenti, Sasol Art Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Art Fairs
| Art Cologne 2024 |
| Art Brussels 2024 |
| Miart 2024 |
| Cape Town Art Fair 2024 |
| Abu Dhabi Art Fair |
| Art Cologne 2023 |
| Artissima 2023 |
| NOMAD Capri 2023 |
| Miart 2023 |