Herman Maes (Kinshasa, 1959) is a Belgian artist who lives and works in Hasselt (Belgium). His work consists of paintings, drawings, installations and illustrations which are situated in between abstraction, imagination and reality.
Herman Maes grew up in Kinshasa (Congo) in an artistic family. His grandfather was Karel Maes, a pioneer of Belgian abstract art. His father, Piet Maes, was a well-known furniture designer. At the age of five he moved to Belgium with his family. He graduated from the University College PXL in Hasselt with a degree in Fine Arts. During his second year in college, 1979, he won the Godecharle award for Fine Arts. In 1983 he started teaching at the Visual Arts Academy in Heusden-Zolder.
Besides teaching Herman Maes remained active in the art world, he had exhibitions in Belgium and abroad. He was a member, vice-president and president of the artist organization “Nieuw Internationaal Cultureel Centrum” between 2000 and 2004. As of 2009 he lives and works in Hasselt and London.
Herman Maes is also a curator of exhibitions concerning the Belgian historic Avant-garde.
