Serge Vandercam was a Belgian photographer, painter, draftsman and sculptor. Vandercam joined Cobra in 1948 and from 1955 onwards he became known with his informal artworks. He regularly worked and exhibited in Italy and befriended artists such as Piero Manzoni and Cy Twombly, with whom he exhibited in 1959. He often appears in the overview of the informal research of the immediate post-war era – as much in the international spectrum as in the will to promote a new Belgian artistic scene. His body of work is multi-faceted and frees itself with a liberation of movement and experimental research.
In 1956, the artist is granted the Jeune Peinture Belge award. Inspired by his rebellious spirit, he covers the mining disaster of Marcinelle (BE) and uses his canvas to scream. His anger turns into expression and is confirmed by movement. Composition rouge will grant him his first recognition.
The year 1958 is prolific in terms of artistic production. Vandercam gets involved and creates decisive relationships, whether in the Surrealist circle, in Cobra or Taptoe. The emergence of these paintings matches the idea of breaking down the walls between disciplines. With Taptoe, he had gotten closer to a literary avant-garde. Then, his creations became thoughts in action. As he got in touch with poets, Vandercam found the way to express his anger by bursting words and in the violence of movement. In this direction and intention, Jean Dypréau, Christian Dotremont and Englebert Van Anderlecht would prove to be substantial allies.
