portrait

© Anneke d’Hollander

 

The oeuvre of Sofie Muller (° 1974, Sint-Niklaas) portrays La Condition Humaine in a wayward way. This results in an impressive and varied repertoire in which man excels in all his vulnerability. With installations and sculptures, supplemented with works on paper, she visualizes our deepest and darkest psyche. Her urge for perfection and craftsmanship reconciles with the sometimes brutal visualization of inner injuries, which reinforces her message and leads to a mental portrait of us, human beings.

Sofie Muller is represented in Belgium by the Geukens & De Vil gallery. Muller exhibited in, among others, M HKA and KMSK, Antwerp; Dr. Guislain Museum, Ghent; C-Mine, Genk; FeliXart Museum, Drogenbos. Abroad she exhibited in Poland: National Gallery of Art, Sopot (2015), Biala Galeria with Robert Kusmirowski (2017), Museum Of Contemporary Art, Krakow (2016) - after which the museum purchased a number of works by Muller. Austria: Michaela Stock Gallery (2018), Bildraum, Bregenz (2018). Venice: Intuition, Palazo Fortuny. France: Fondation Francès, Senlis (2010 and 2017). Germany: Kunstmuseum Solingen (2017), gallery Martin Kudlek, Cologne and Kunsthalle Nürnberg (2013). The Netherlands: Museum Beelden aan Zee, The Hague. Outside Europe she took her first steps with group exhibitions at 21c Museum Hotel, Oklahoma (2017), Kunstraum, Brooklyn (2016), Chelsea Art Museum, New York (2009), Gallery Maskara, Mumbai, (2012) and Academy of Fine Arts, Tianjin, China (2007). Finally, a solo exhibition is expected in 2019 at the Proyectos Monclova gallery in Mexico.

SOFIE MULLER 

Born in 1974
Lives and works in Ghent, Belgium 

Sofie Muller’s complex oeuvre displays an ongoing, profound research of the human condition and the beauty of individual vulnerability. The main recurring themes are imperfection and psycho-physical trauma. She taps into the breaking point of the mind and body and portrays it in smoke drawings and sculptures in bronze or alabaster. 

Selected Solo Exhibitions 

2024
The Clean Room, Malta Biennale, Valletta, Malta 

2023
Fungus Anatomicus, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium

Guilt and Innocence, Brabantdamkerk, Ghent, Belgium 
Vesalian Landscapes, 4th Vesalius Triennial, Antwerp, Belgium 

2022
Alabaster, M Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 

2021
Shadowside, Fox Jensen, Sidney, Australia
Movement of the Heart, international project with Geukens & De Vil, Fox Jensen, Proyectos 

Monclova, Ta(r)dino 6, Michaela Stock, Gallery Maskara, Palazzo Monti, Gallerie Italienne, Martin Kudlek, Galeria Biala
The unbearable lightness of being, Sofie Muller & D.D. Trans, Salon Blanc, Oostende, Belgium 

2019
Pentimento with Gabriel De La Mora, Proyectos Monclova, Mexico City, Mexico 

2018
De Grote Levensvragen, presentation by Friedl Lesage, artwork by Sofie Muller on stage, Belgium 

2017
Montaigne, actor Koen De Sutter, Nucleus by Sofie Muller on stage, Belgium, The Netherlands and France.

Alabaster Mentalis, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Ithaca, Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany 

2016
Sculptures in collaboration with Sven Gatz, Minister of Culture, Belgium
Ithaca, Geukens & De Vil, Knokke, Belgium
Mental Sculptures in collaboration with Robert Kusmirowski, Biala Galeria, Poland Solo-presentation, Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany 

2015
Cabinets 2015, FeliXart Museum, Drogenbos, Belgium 

2014
Psychonomics, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Grave Souls & secrets, duo exhibition with Kiki Lamers, Odapark, Venray, the Netherlands 

Art Brussels, focus artist Geukens & De Vil, Brussels, Belgium
Drawing Now Paris, focus artist Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany 

2013
Minerswoman, CC Maasmechelen, Belgium
Brandt, Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany 

2012
Black Out, C-mine, Genk, Belgium
Inauguration Tableau Vivant, Genk, Belgium Inauguration
Toren, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
The Rest is Silence, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium 

2011
Guiding hand II, Europeancardacquiring, Berlin, Germany 

2010
Solo, Fondation Francès, Senlis, France
Leap of Faith, Caermersklooster, Ghent, Belgium 

Leap of Faith - monument, Thuis voor een beeld, East Flanders, Belgium
Guiding hand I, Europeancardacquiring, Berlin, Germany 

2009
Memento, Park ter Beuken, Lokeren, Belgium 

2008
Über Menschen, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium 

2007 

beDivided, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium 

2006
Morphs, S&H De Buck, Ghent, Belgium 
seXes, Geukens & De Vil, Knokke, Belgium
seXes, Mercator, Antwerp, Belgium 

2004
seXes, S&H De Buck, Ghent, Belgium 

Selected Group Exhibitions 

2024
Les Liaisons Désireuses. Over lust, verleiding en verlangen, Kasteel d'Ursel, Bornem, Belgium 
Rebel Garden, Musea Brugge, Bruges, Belgium
Reopening Museum, Museum Hof Van Busleyden, Mechelen, Belgium 

2023

The long goodbye,Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Dark Weekends, GUM- Ghent, Belgium
Road to Knowhere, Biennale Prinsenhof, Ghent, Belgium
No One’s Rose, Fox Jensen McCrory, Auckland, Australia
Phallus. Norm & Vorm. University Museum Groningen, the Netherlands
FINIS TERRAE: The End. A Beginning, Plantin-Moretus Museum, Antwerp, Belgium
The Clown Spirit, Mucciaccia Gallery, Rome, Italy
Nasi per L’Arte, Palazzo Merulana, Rome, Italy
Stille Levens, Ostend, Belgium
Koppen/Heads, Provincial House, Antwerp, Belgium
Portrait Without a Face, Fox Jensen McCrory, Auckland, Australia 

2022
Phallus. Norm & Vorm. GUM Ghent University Museum & Botanical Garden, Ghent.
Eden, Art Festival, Roeselaere, Belgium
PASSIO, Biennial, Sint Martin’s Church, Kortrijk, Belgium
Open City, Art Festival Lublin, Poland
Als wäre alles für immer / As if everything is forever, Kühlhaus Berlin, Germany 
The Circus We Are, Namur, Belgium 

2021
Let’s get out! Castle Ooidonk & estate De Reables, Bachte-Maria-Leerne, Belgium 

Correspondences, curated by Christa Vyvey, Musée Fenaille, Rodez, France 

2020
Confined Challenge 2.0, online exhibition during confinement, Geukens & De Vil 

The Clown Spirit, curated byJoanna de Vos, De Rossaert, Antwerp, Belgium 
La Musée 2, curated by Azad Asifovich, Studio la Città, Italy
Coup De Ville - Chasing Flowers, Sint Niklaas, Belgium 

Speicher, Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany
Artivirals, Ghent, Belgium
AThOME, Threasured Thoughts, by Sofie Muller, Ta(r)dino 6 Instagram account 

La Musée, curated by Azad Asifovich, Galerie Italienne, Paris, France
Confined Challenge, online exhibition during confinement, organized by Geukens & De Vil Analogue, Fox Jenssen, Auckland, New-Zealand
Collectionner au XXI siècle, Collection Lambert, Avignon, France 

2019
Correspondances: Nick Ervinck, Sofie Muller and Renato Nicolodi, Musée Fenaille, Rodez, France (postponed)
Heads, Felix Frachon Gallery, Ixelles, Belgium
Circle of Life, Lieve Blancquaert, Sint Pietersabdij Gent, Belgium
A Provisional Legacy, curated by Reniere & Depla, Adornesmuseum, Brugge, Belgium
Home Sweet Home, kunstenhuis Harelbeke, Belgium
In Situ 2019 – Art Trail. Languedoc – Roussillon – Midi-Pyrénées. Patrimone et Art Contemporain, France
Over my (dead) body, Oxana Shachko, Sofie Muller, Katya Ev, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Réparation, La Maison des Arts, Schaarbeek, Belgium 

2018
STRAF!, Artistiek feest uit solidariteit, Hof van Beroep, Gent, Belgium
Verknipt, Warp, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Middle Gate II. 
Het verhaal van Dimpna. Collaboration between M HKA Antwerpen and CC Werft Geel, Belgium
Open City, Festival Lublin, Poland
Biennale d’Art Contemporain, Ce qui pèse et ce qui nourrit, Autun, France
Auction for <H>Art Magazine, Phillips Antwerp, Belgium
Emotional Journey, curator Michaela Stock, Bildraum Bodensee, Austria
Het Gouden Paviljoen, curators Annelies Nagels & Dries Segers, De Warande, Turnhout, Belgium
Faces, collaboration between PAK & Museum Dr. Guislain, curators Frank Demarest & Patrick Allegaert, Psychiatric Hospital Sint-Amandus, Beernem, Belgium
Rethink Duality, Sofie Muller & Evelyn Loschy, Gallery Michaela Stock, Vienna, Austria 

2017
Venice Biennale, exhibition Intuition, curator Axel Vervoordt, Palazza Fortuny, Venice, Italy 

Ecce Homo, 63 artists, 9 locations in Antwerp, curator Geukens & De Vil with co-curator Eric Rinckhout
New Generations, 21c Museum Hotel Oklahoma, curator Alice Gray, Oklahoma, USA Kunstwerk Leben, Kunstmuseum Solingen, Solingen, Germany
No modulor no more, sculpture today, Academy Sint-Niklaas, Belgium Kairos Castle, curator Joke Hermsen, Castle of Gaasbeek, Belgium Between Earth and Heaven, Huis De Lombard, Beveren, Belgium
Tinto. Without Tinta, curator Azad Asifovich, space 8, Brussels, Belgium
Aide Mémoire, Espace Séraphine Louis, Clermont/Fondation Francès, Senlis, France 2016 Liminal Lyrics, curator Hedwig Brouckaert, Kunstraum, Brooklyn, USA

 Gestures and Shudders, curator Sanne De Wolf, Mukha, Antwerp, Belgium 
No Modulor No More, Belgium sculpture today, Vierkante Zaal, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. Submarine, curator Sergio Servellon, Lange Zaal KASK, Antwerp, Belgium.
 Medicine in Art, MOCA, Krakow, Poland.
Arts et méteaux, Trilogie Contemporaine, Liège, Belgium. 

Montaigne with Koen De Sutter, Nucleus on stage in Kaaitheater Brussels, NTG Ghent, CC Bruges, De Brakke Grond, C-mine Ghent, Vrijthof Maastricht et al. 
Speelvogels, Zwijgershoek, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. 

2015 

Spiegel im Spiegel, PAK, Beernem, Belgium
Goodbye Pourbus, Hello Leopold, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerpen, Belgium Kunstenaars voor Wagenschot, Handelsbeurs, De Kouter, Ghent, Belgium 

Kust@rodekruis, curator Hilde Van Canneyt, Ronse, Belgium
Boeken onder vuur, KU Leuven, University Library, Leuven, Belgium
Watou Art festival, Watou, Belgium
Vormidable, Museum Beelden aan Zee, The Hague, the Netherlands. 
Palindrome, curator Robert Kusmirowski, National Gallery of Art, Sopot, Poland. Occupied emotions, Broelmuseum, Kortrijk, Belgium
Ik, jij, wij, VZW Rasa, S.M.A.K., C-mine, et al., Ghent, Belgium
No Walls expo Nl/Vl, curator Bob Smit, Fenixloods, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Pleisterplekken, Museum Dr. Guislain, Ghent, Belgium 

2014
Story of absence, Collection National Bank, Brussels, Belgium
Westenwind, curator Stef Van Bellingen, Martin Kudlek, Cologne, Germany
Fine Arts from Belgium, Tongerlohuys, Roosendaal, the Netherlands
De modernen, KMSK, Antwerp, Belgium
Health- Something of Value, curator Sven Van Der Stichelen, Brussels, Belgium 

2013 

Forever Young, curator Harriet Zilch, Kunsthalle Nürnberg, Germany
The Prélude Pathetique, curator Wim Lambrecht, Leuven, Belgium 

Museum to scale 1/7, Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium
In alle staten, curator Fondation Francès, Museum Dr. Guislain, Ghent, Belgium
Coup de Ville, Warp, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Basel Volta 9, Martin Kudlek, Switzerland
Pour les siècles des siècles, Lieux Communs, Namur, Belgium
Prestige, curator Nicoline Van Stapel, Ghent University, Belgium
Bates Motel, Space, curator Michael Dans & Julie Hanique, Liège, Belgium
Brisure. Artistieke verwantschappen, curator Stef Van Bellingen, Belfius, Brussels, Belgium 

2012
Are the limits of 
..., Gallery Maskara, Mumbai, India
Les Fleurs du Mal, Kersgallery, Amsterdam, the Nederlands Kunstfestival Watou, Watou, Belgium
Mindmap, Venray, the Nederlands
Dangerously Young, Museum Dr. Guislain, Ghent, Belgium 

2011
Beeld van hoop en wanhoop, Mothers for Peace, Ieper, Belgium 

Geus de luxe, Geuzenhuis, Ghent, Belgium
Kunstpodium T, student-master project, Tilburg, the Netherlands
Salon 9, curator Christa Vyvey, Pianomuseum Maene, Ruiselede, Belgium 

2010
The Power of Drawing, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Mooi, traveling exhibition, VZW Rasa, Belgium
Lucht is tastbaarder dan mijn gedachten, curator Annemie van Laethem, Castle Oud-Rekem, Belgium
Beeldenroute Lo-Reninge, West Flanders, Belgium
BAT 10. Beeldenroute Anti-Tankgracht, curator Flor Bex, Schilde, Belgium

Walking te Line II, Kudlek Von Grinten, Cologne, Germany Collages@Romantiek, Verbeke Foundation, Roeselare, Belgium
Mort ou vif, Fondation Fransès, Senlis, France
Uit het Geheugen, Katho-IPSOC and Museum Dr. Guislain, Kortrijk, Belgium

2009
De Oversteek, curator Bonnefantenmuseum and A.M. Van Laethem, Rekem, Limburg, Belgium
De Collectie, curator Philippe Van Cauteren and Sjoerd Paridaen, Espace Ladda, Ghent, Belgium
Uit het Geheugen, Museum Dr. Guislain, Ghent, Belgium
Ademloos, auction sale + exhibition Bernearts, Antwerp, Belgium
UN-SCR-1325, Chelsea Art Museum, curator Jan Van Woensel/Geukens & De Vil, New York, USA
Miniaturen, Josef Deleu and S&H De Buck, Cultural Center, Hasselt, Belgium 

2008
A flowery band to bind us to the earth, S&H De Buck, Ghent, Belgium
Antwerp Sculpture Show, curators Bart De Baere & Menno Meeuwis, Zuiderdokken Antwerp, 

Belgium
Corpus Delicti, curator Flor Bex, Palace of Justice, Brussels, Belgium
Markiezin Zoekt Kunst, Castle of Gaasbeek, Gaasbeek, Belgium
Over The Hedge#2, 117 Belgian Artists, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium.
 
Art Garden Party, auction by Christie’s Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, St. Martens-Latem, Belgium 
Found/Gevonden/Trouvé, Voorkamer, Lier, Belgium 
UN-SCR-1325, Geukens & De Vil, Antwerp, Belgium
Rewind, curator Filip Van De Velde, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium 

Die Hände Der Kunst, Ronny Van De Velde, Herford, Germany
Trends 2008, Sint-Barbaracollege, Ghent, Belgium 

Artist’s Hands, Ronny Van De Velde, S.M.A.K, Ghent, Belgium
Feminiene, curator Willem Ellias, VUB, Brussel, Belgium
Tussen Lichaam en Geest, Dr. Guislain museum, Ghent, Belgium
Wandering, S&H De Buck, duo exhibition Sofie Muller & Piet Pollet, Ghent, Belgium
Noman’s Land, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium 

2007
Over The Hedge#2, 117 Belgian Artists, Academy of Fine Arts, Tianjin, China
Underground, curator Stef Van Bellingen, Warp, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. 

Alles Beweegt vervlochten generaties, Service center “Ter Deeve”, Meulebeke 
Miniaturen, Josef Deleu and S&H De Buck, Book tower, Ghent, Belgium 

2006
Making Sense In The City, Aula, Ghent, Belgium
Het (On)Volmaakte Lichaam, curator Tom Peeters, Monumental VZW, Bornem, Belgium Nachten Van De Open Ateliers, VZW Nucleo, Ghent, Belgium
Heilige Geest, Voorkamer, Lier, Belgium 

2005
Voorbij De Grens, De Markten, Brussels, Belgium 

Short Circuit, curator Jan Van Woensel, Motive Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Planet Gender, S&H De Buck, Het Achterhuis, Ghent, Belgium 

2004
I’m Lovin’ It, Ghent, Belgium
Open Atelierdag 3, VZW Nucleo, Ghent, Belgium 

2000
Honorable Mention ‘Kunstsalon Ghent’, St. Pietersabdij, Ghent, Belgium 

1996
Klas 4A, Campo, Antwerp, Belgium
Rotary Expo, Elizabethzaal, Antwerp, Belgium
Winterplaats K.A.S.K.A., selection Pjeroo Roobjee & Guillaume Bijl, Antwerp, Belgium 

1995
Walking Museum, Antwerp, Belgium October Octopus Expo, Berchem, Belgium 

Work in public space 

2023 
Operation Muller-Lambotte at ZNA Cadix Antwerp 
Watchmen -
care center K-service Tienen

2019
Sculpture in the Grauwzusters chapel in Antwerp Cabinet/portrait SI024G, provinciehuis Antwerpen, Belgium 

2013
Minerswoman, Maasmechelen, Belgium 

2012
Toren, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium Tableau Vivant, Genk, Belgium 

2010
Eve, Hospital ter Linden, Knokke, Belgium  
Leap of Faith, Laarne, Belgium 

Prizes and nominations 

Laureate Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for science and the arts, 
2018 SABAM Awards, 5the edition, nomination visual arts, 2017