Tom Herck was born in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, in 1984 and currently resides in Ordingen, Belgium. He is a contemporary multidisciplinary artist, has earned distinction for his creation of unconventional and impactful monumental public art installations. Known for his thought-provoking works, Herck's artistry spans sculptures, installations, interventions and mixed-media creations.

At the core of Herck's artistic journey lies an unrelenting exploration of socio-political themes and existential inquiries. His art delves into the complexities of human existence, addressing themes such as vanity, history, religion, the rise and fall of empires, extinction, evolution, and the cyclical nature of history.

One of the hallmarks of Herck's art is its capacity to challenge societal norms and disrupt established perceptions. Through his work, he initiates dialogues that transcend cultural and generational boundaries. Herck's creations serve as catalysts for conversations that probe the depths of collective consciousness, prompting viewers to reconsider their viewpoints and engage with the broader tapestry of human thought.




ARTIST STATEMENT:

My practice explores the intersections of society, history, and belief through large-scale installations, sculpture, and mixed-media interventions. Engaging with themes of vanity, mortality, evolution, and the cyclical rise and fall of civilizations, I examine the fragile structures through which humanity constructs meaning, power, and identity.

Drawing from personal history, underground culture, and collective memory, I work with familiar symbols—including skeletons, religious iconography, and historical references—to challenge inherited narratives and question the systems of belief that continue to shape our world. My work navigates the tensions between progress and decline, faith and doubt, power and vulnerability, permanence and decay.

Rather than offering definitive answers, I create encounters that invite confrontation, introspection, and critical reflection. By introducing monumental imagery into public spaces and unexpected contexts, I disrupt the familiar and challenge established perspectives. These interventions encourage viewers to reconsider their assumptions and reflect on their place within the broader, ever-changing, and ultimately impermanent story of human existence.

SOLO POJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS:

2027 Expo 35 / LOMAK / Tessenderlo, BE
2026 Herck in dialoog met Ensor, Delvaux en Vandereycken / Kasteel Terlaemen - Heusden-Zolder, BE
2026 Benchmarks / Oud Gerechtshof - Hasselt, BE
2025 The Fisherman / Le Bassin - Spiere Helkijn, BE
2025 Once We Ruled The World / Benjamin Eck Gallery - Munich, DE
2024 The Fisherman / Palazzo Balbi Valier / Venice Biennale - Venice, IT
2024 OWRTW / Galerie P - Ostend, BE
2024 Dinolition / Kasteel van Ordingen - Ordingen, BE
2023 Past-Present-Future / European Parliament - Brussels, BE
2023 Decay Works / Kasteel van Ordingen - Ordingen, BE
2021 Explorer / La Butte aux Bois - Lanaken, BE
2019 The Wall / Burning man / Black rock city - Nevada, USA
2019 Wreckage in a bottle / The Crystal Ship / Casino Kursaal fountains - Ostend, BE
2019 Last Words / St-Trudo Hospitaal - Sint-Truiden, BE
2018 Eurovision / Thames river / Buckingham palace gates - London, UK
2017 Missing / Gasthuiskapel - Borgloon, BE
2017 Holy Cow / Sint-Jan-de-Doperkerk - Kuttekoven, BE
2016 Het verval / Museum Vlaamse Minderbroeders - Sint-Truiden, BE
2016 Fly fast, die last / Takla Lake - British Columbia, Canada
2016 Decay Works / Atelier Linesse - Hasselt, BE
2014 (Nun) Fiction / CC De Bogaard - Sint-Truiden, BE
2013 Vanitas / Voormalig Quick gebouw - Sint-Truiden, BE

GROUP PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS:

2026 Kunstoevers / Langestraat - Aalst, BE
2025 Do not cross / Sint-Denijs-City - Sint-Denijs, BE
2024 Nom de Dieu / Pilar zaal / VUB - Brussels, BE
2023 Sharing Stories / Kasteel d’Aspremont-Lynden- Oud-Rekem, BE
2023 Box Red / Nieuwland - Borgloon, BE
2022 De Sokkel / SMAK - Ghent, BE
2022 Strange Days / Galerie Papillon - Ostend, BE
2022 It's Time To Meet Them / Julianuscomplex - Tongeren, BE
2022 Hidden Odyssey / La Butte aux Bois - Lanaken, BE
2021 Censuur / Nationaal museum van de speelkaart - Turnhout, BE
2021 Halleluja / Triamant - Bree, BE
2020 Beestig / Stadsfestival Damme - Damme, BE
2020 Me myself and I / Black Swan Gallery - Bruges, BE
2020 Crucifixions / PAK, Platform voor Actuele Kunsten - Gistel, BE
2020 La Messe Des Artistes /  L’église de Saint Pierre d’Arène  - Nice , FR
2020 Vanitas humanum est / CAS - Ostend, BE
2020 NEKTAR / Quartier Blue - Hasselt, BE
2019 Hommage à Auguste Renoir / Château Grimaldi - Cagnes-Sur-Mer, FR
2019 Biennale van België III / Floraliënhal - Ghent, BE
2019 Chambres Separees / PAK, Platform voor Actuele Kunsten - Gistel, BE
2019 Stormloop / De Linnenfabriek - Herentals, BE
2019 NEKTAR / Quartier Blue - Hasselt, BE
2018 C-Takt / C-Mine - Genk, BE
2018 Triënnale Brugge / Black Swan Gallery - Bruges, BE
2018 ReBirth / PAK, Platform voor Actuele Kunsten - Ostend, BE
2018 Portraits / Atelier 14 Zero Muzeum - Brussels, BE
2018 Printemps Sauvage / Armée des Alpes - Nice, FR
2018 Behind closed doors / PAK, Platform voor Actuele Kunsten - Gistel, BE
2018 Art Truc Troc / Palais de Beaux-Arts/ Bozar - Brussels, BE
2017 Artefactory LABO / De Drukkerij - Leuven, BE
2017 LaBel Valette / Chapel - Montargis, FR 
2016 Mine d'Art / L'ecole de musique - Blanzy, FR 
2016 MDA Ex-Situ / Galeries Lafayette - Chalon-sur-Saone, FR 
2016 Brussels gardens / Herkenrodehoeve - Opheers, BE 
2015 Amok / De chocoladefabriek - Tongeren, BE
2015 Beste buren / Original Dampkring Gallery - Amsterdam, NL
2015 One Armed Man / Oude Beurs - Antwerp,BE
2015 Art 17 / OT301 - Amsterdam, NL
2015 Groupe Atlantis / Carros - Nice, FR
2014 Rubia collective / Dreambuilding - Antwerp, BE
2014 Atelier C / Museum M - Leuven, BE
2014 Biennale de l'UMAM / Château Grimaldi - Cagnes-Sur-Mer, FR
2014 Independent Arts Festival / Stedelijk Musea - Sint-Niklaas, BE
2014 Exhi-B / Les Jeux d'Hiver - Brussels, BE / group

AWARDS / NOMINATIONS / COLLECTIONS:

2025 The Fisherman - Spiere-Helkijn, BE / Public art aquisitions by Leiedal & the Province of West-Flanders
2025 Do not cross - Selected for the International Modern Art Foundation (Adrian David) collection
2019 Burning man - Nevada, USA / Selected artist for the creation of an installation
2019 The crystal ship - Ostend, BE / Public art installation, incorperation with the city of Ostend
2018 Corporated Art Awards - European Parliament, BE / Special award for “A monumental work of art made of its core-business product”
2016 BLOOOM Award  by Warsteiner - Cologne, DE / Nominated
2014 Atelier C / Museum M - Leuven, BE / Laureate
2014 Biennale de l'UMAM / Château Grimaldi - Cagnes-Sur-Mer, FR / Honorable mention

BIOGRAPHY :

Raised in a creative environment with an artist father, Tom's early exposure to art played a significant role in shaping his artistic journey. However, his upbringing in a council estate under the guidance of a single mother presented him with a contrasting reality, immersed in societal challenges.

During his mid and late 20s, Tom found himself drawn into undergound cultures. His experiences in a low-income neighborhood and subsequent work as a social assistant with troubled youth and later in a refugee center heightened his awareness of societal issues, which he channels into his art. The allure of 'outsider' cultures led Tom to spend a decade actively participating in the illegal graffiti scene, which became the foundation of his artistic expression.

Tom embarked on a journey of self-discovery by traveling extensively across the globe. Initially combining his travels with graffiti activities throughout Europe, he faced financial challenges, often resorting to sleeping on trains or the streets. A significant milestone during this period was his venture to New York, where he painted the subway system. Legal complications later prompted him to transition towards murals and a more sophisticated form of art. His participation in the underground cultures exposed him to an alternative and rebellious subculture. This exposure to outsider cultures likely influenced the rebellious and unconventional nature of his artistic expressions, challenging traditional norms and institutions.

Tom's artistic journey is not just influenced by his personal experiences and creative background; it also bears the imprints of his family history.
With an unknown grandfather and a grandmother who was a "Female pimp" operating brothels in his hometown. Tom's exploration of his family history, particularly his unknown grandfather and his grandmother's controversial profession as a "madam," could have inspired him to delve into complex themes of identity, history, and human contradictions in his art. His personal connection to these stories likely lends a deeper emotional resonance to his creative expressions.

Throughout his artistic career, Tom's installations have consistently centered on adventurous projects in monumental forms within public spaces. One such project, "The Decline" in 2016, featured a 60-ton house of cards construction with depictions of historical figures, world leaders, and dictators. The installation garnered both national and international attention, leading to public debates and dialogues. The local mayor censored the work by covering the Hitler card with a plastic banner. Tom upheld the integrity of his work and after some debates, they’ve kept the installation in his true form. In 2018 the installation won an international price in the European parliament. In 2023 it was shown on Times Square in New-York on a 2000 square meter bill board.

Religion, especially Christianity, plays a pivotal role in Tom's life and art. He deftly combines traditional and contemporary iconography, creating new symbols that delve into universal themes of life, death, transformation, and religion. Tom: “While maintaining an agnostic perspective, I harbor a profound appreciation for ecclesiastical establishments. I engage in a weekly ritual of attending a church, drawn by its capacity to evoke profound inspiration and introspection.” His works challenge conventional views and address humanity's inherent contradictions. Notably, Tom's art has sparked controversy and garnered global attention.

The installation "Holy Cow" in 2017, which featured a crucified cow in a church surrounded by 5000 liters of milk, ignited protests and arrests of far-right organizations and a priest. His works are designed to provoke thought and reflection, encouraging viewers to delve deeper into the themes presented. By utilizing powerful symbols, metaphors, and contrasting imagery, Tom prompts audiences to question societal norms and challenge their perceptions of history, religion, and politics.

In recent years, Tom has expanded his artistic presence internationally, with projects like the "Eurovision" sailing art installation in London.

Herck is the second Belgian artist ever to burn a big installation on the famous Burning man festival in Nevada USA. A 9 meter high piñata in front of a 5 meter wall exploring both sides of Trump’s wall conflict.

Despite addressing pressing social issues in his art, Tom remains steadfast in maintaining an open discussion space rather than taking a strictly conservative or progressive stance. His focus lies on realizing and creating his concepts through impactful works that foster dialogue and debate in the public sphere.

At the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024, he created “The Fisherman” installation, part of the Once We Ruled The World series, juxtaposes human and dinosaur skeletons to explore themes of human ego, extinction, and evolution, depicting a figure fishing atop a plesiosaurus with a USB wire as a critique of the digital revolution and humanity's uncertain future.

Anchored in the present, his thought-provoking installations stimulate contemplation and reflection on the challenges that lie ahead. Through his creative endeavors, Tom continues to shape the discourse surrounding social matters, leaving a lasting impact on both the art world and the broader community.