estate of mechtilt
1934 - painter/writer - 2000
Born in Amsterdam, daughter of an architect, graduated from the Academy of the Fine Arts in Amsterdam. Died in Paris in 2000. Lived and worked in France after 1960. Created a great number of "artist's books". Painted on canvas and Japanese paper. Thousands of drawings in chinese ink. Longtime correspondence with Anaïs Nin. Influenced by the music of Alban Berg and Miles Davis. The three films created on her work by Robert Sève, "Erographes", "Mechtilt" and "Skyros" were shown by the Montreal Film Festival in 1981 among films on Picasso, Bram van Velde and de Kooning. Writings on her work by: Robert Franquinet, Sadi de Gorter, Hans Jaffé, Gaëtan Picon, Geneviève Breerette, J.M. Dunouer, Jean Laude, Gilles Plazy, Pierre Brisset, Olivier Grignan, Chantal Chawaf, Chantal Maillet, Hélène Cixous, Michel Bernard, Frédérick Bergounious, Robert Sève, Claude Beausoleil, Khair Eddine, Sezer Tanzug, Maati Kabal, Christine Buci Glucksmann, Françoise Gaillard, etc. Illustrated such poets as: Leopold Senghor, Aimé Césaire, Wole Soyinka, Adonis, Italo Calvino, Abdelkebir Katibi Eddine, René Char, Lionel Bourg, Jacques Dupin, Hélène Cixous, de Sade, Marcel Moreau, Walt Whitman, etc.
1956
Dutch government grant, France.
Marriage with Jan Meijer (artist, painter).
1957
Stay at Nicolas de Staël's artist studio.
Italian government grant.
1958
Group exhibitions:
René Laporte's Gallery: Antibes
Vallauris (Paris)
1959
Birth of her first son.
1960
Writes from then onwards in foreign press on art and literature mainly.
First book published with Nazim Hikmet (Turkey).
Starts living in Dieudonné (Oise, France) with her husband, the painter Jan Meijer.
Meets Ubac and Dmitrienko.
From 1960 to 1972 she lives among the African art dealers and collectors.
1963
At the salon de Beauvais, obtains the silver medal for Collages.
1964
Begins her correspondence with the writer Anaïs Nin, which will last until 1976.
Birth of her second son.
1966
Begins her correspondence with the writer Marcel Moreau, which will last until 1968.
1967
Biennale of "la jeune peinture" in Paris.
1968
Meets Gaëtan Picon
She starts doing literary interviews for Belgium and Holland, with French and foreign writers and poets.
Comparaisons (in Bandeira) Paris.
1969
Museum of Macon: poems/objects.
1970
Museum van Bommel van Dam-Venlo.
1971
Museum van Bommel van Dam-Venlo.
1972
Stedelijk Museum (collages) in Amsterdam.
1973
Starts living in Paris.
1974
Bâle Fair / J.J. Rousseau publishers.
Films "Erographes" and "Mechtilt" by Robert Sève.
1975
Nane-Stern Gallery, Paris
Cultural Centre, Orléans (with Hélène Cixous and Catherine Clément).
"Ce Maroc!" (with the poet Mohammed Khair-Edine).
Projections of the Robert Sève films on Mechtilt with texts by Hélène Cixous.
Unesco "Dialogs" Paris.
1976
Gallery Marazine, Paris.
Gallery Nane-Stern, Paris.
Meets Henry Miller.
1977
Künstlerinnen Intern. Berlin and Frankfurt.
Unesco "Dialogs" Paris.
1978
"Cabinet de dessin" in Paris.
MusČe d'Art Moderne, Paris.
1979
Jacques Boulan's Gallery in Paris.
1980
Work shown in the Maison de la culture in Nevers, Angers, St. Etienne, Besançon.
Prades Festival (two films).
1981
First art-film festival in Montreal.
"Le dernier mot" de Jean Laude.
Starts off the exhibition of art books.
American Art Centre in Paris (art books).
G. Pompidou Centre (art books).
1982
Aubes gallery in Montreal.
G. Pompidou Centre (revue "Dirty").
Biennale in Québec.
Nina Dausset Gallery in Paris.
Experimental film "Rupture" in Chaillot.
1983
Convaloup Gallery in Switzerland.
Dutch institute in Paris.
40 paintings inspired by the universe of Haiku.
Entrepot Lainé in Bordeaux.
Works for an anthology of poems for Africa and Haiti.
Works against torture.
1984
Around Marcel Moreau: Amis, Rythmes, demons".
Bruxelles and the Grand Hainaut with: Topor, Dubuffet, Velickovik, etc.
1985
MAC 2000, the Grand Palais, (12 paintings against torture).
Book: "Soweto cap de désespérance" a text by Edouard Mauncik (intertext publisher).
National Library in Paris.
1986
G. Pompidou Centre: personal exhibition.
In the "Maison de la Poésie", around Edouard Mauncik.
In the "Maison de la Poésie": Léopold S., Senghor and his painter friends.
Black Book fair in London.
Anti-Apartheid congress in Dakar.
1987
Conference for Another South Africa (CASA), Amsterdam (Soweto).
France-Enthicolor, Paris.
Gallery Nieuwe Weg, Doorn, Holland.
Theatre of Bali in Amsterdam.
Festival of Asilah in Marocco.
1988
Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Festival of Asilah in Marocco.
1989
Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Unesco Paris, "Danse d'Afrique": personal exhibition of drawings.
The assassination of Dulcie September (20 lithographs).
French Cultural Centre in Marrackech, Marocco, personal exhibitions.
Free Mandela, Paris and other French cities.
1990
Gallery 16 in Paris: personal exhibition.
Librairie Biffures gallery: personal exhibition.
MAC 2000, in the Grand Palais, Paris: wins the prize of the Public.
Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Mairie du XIIeme, Paris.
"Toiles de Maitre" in Massilargues.
"art de la rue" in the Grand Palais, Paris.
Mechtilt's experimental film "Rupture" is shown in cinematheque of Chaillot.
1991
The Printemps shops: "Draps de maitre".
Atelier Gallery in Rabat, Marocco.
Salon in Bagneux.
Capazza Gallery, Paris.
Mairie du XVIIIeme, Paris.
1992
Gallery Capazza, Paris: personal exhibition.
Gallery Capazza, Nançay: "The Cat".
Around Jacques Dupin: in the "refuge" with: Albert Giacometti, Joann Mitchell, Paul Rebeyrolle, Antoni Tapies, Antonio Saura, Raoul Ubac...
MAC 2000 in the Grand Palais, Paris.
1993
Ouidah festival, Benin.
Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Abbey of Caen, "Murmures".
Mairie du XVIIIeme, Paris.
Temporary Space, Sapporo, Japan.
Gallery Circus-Circus, Kyoto, Japan.
1994
Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Gallery Alias, Paris.
Mairie du IXeme, Paris.
"Grands et jeunes d'aujourd'hui" in Paris.
1995
"Grands et Jeunes d'aujourd'hui" in Paris.
Gallery Capazza Nançay.
Dutch institute in Paris.
1996
MAC 2000.
1997
"The year of Japan in France - Utamoro seen by" Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
1998
Exhibition around the four elements in the Espace Cardin, realized for the Gallery Capazza: "Les quartres elements: Voyage initiatique".
"Revelations 1975-1998, historical works" Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
1999
"L'énigme bleue du temps" (the blue enigma of time) exhibition conceived and created for Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
Solo show, Julian Meijer space, New York City.
2000
Dies in January
In Strasbourg: beginning of the FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Comtemporain).
"Hommage" Gallery Capazza, Nançay.
2002
FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Comtemporain) solo show.
2003
Galerie Capazza solo show
2004
Galerie Capazza group show
2005
International Art Fair, Ghent Belgium
Art Fair, Knokke Le Zout Belgium
Divers Publications:
"La clarté du geste" poems and drawings by Mechtilt (publisher: edition de l'envol).