Annemie Maes - The Green Fairy

Address : Maison Stepman – Boulevard Leopold II 250, 1081 Koekelberg (Brussels) -Metro Simonis / parking Qpark

Opening Exhibition : Thursday 10 April 2025, 7pm -10 pm

Exhibition: from 11 until 20 April 2025

• Tuesday : 7pm – 10pm
• Wednesday, Thursday: 4pm – 6pm
• Friday, Saturday, Sunday : 11am – 6pm

Artists: The Green Fairy (Annemie Maes) (collages); Caroline Klinckhamers (quilts); Pier Forlano (paintings and assemblages); Sam Geuens (collages and assemblages)

Four artists present paintings, assemblages, collages, and quilts that capture the spirit of the times through texture and layers. Let yourself be transported to distant lands and experience the personal travel stories of these talents in the enchanting atmosphere of Maison Stepman.

The title of the expo ‘Memories through layers’ consists of the elements ‘memories’ and ‘layers’. The combination of these 2 elements is the guiding principle of the expo of paintings, assemblages, collages, and quilts. Though working with different media, the 4 artists share a common way of expressing a subject through texture and layers. It is their conviction that the artist’s role in society is to interpret the spirit of the time, to seize the essential trends and inspire others. The 4 artists believe that every voyage is a chapter in their life story, and each memory is a brushstroke on the canvas of their hearts. The landscapes, people, and experiences encountered on these journeys leave a profound impact and invite to transcend boundaries, to relive the magic of travel through the kaleidoscope of art. The exhibition will transport you to distant lands and immerse you in the essence of the personal travel experiences of 4 unique talents, each profoundly impacted by their journeys. Maison Stepman, the former house and workshop of the artist and decorator Louis Stepman, is a perfect sanctuary where the narratives of their travels will come to life!

“The Green Fairy” is the stage name of Annemie Maes, who has been active in recent years as a collage artist with her colourful and cheerful collages. This Brussels-based artist draws inspiration from 1960s images, retro and vintage but often with an underlying contemporary social message. For this group exhibition, she highlights her journeys to Egypt, where she discovered not only the architectural grandeur and unique history of ancient Egypt, but also Egypt’s contribution to the film industry—known as Hollywood on the Nile during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. It was a time of unparalleled creativity and artistic freedom, featuring sensual Egyptian actresses—without clothing restrictions—in leading roles, creating masterpieces in Arab cinema. . Let The Green Fairy blow your mind!

All collages are handmade, using scissors, glue, paper, photos from old magazines and brochures.

The Green Fairy holds a degree in archaeology from the Catholic University of Leuven, with a specialization in Egyptian archaeology and the  archaeology of the Near East. In 2020, she had the privilege of embarking on a remarkable journey to Egypt with a small group of archaeologists. During this trip, they explored some of Egypt’s most iconic historical sites, including the ruins of Thebes, Karnak, Luxor, the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, as well as the temples of Deir el-Bahari, Philae and Abu Simbel. More recently, in 2024, she returned to Egypt to visit Cairo, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the famous necropolis of Memphis in Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur. These travels allowed her to immerse herself not only in the remarkable archaeological remains of ancient Egypt, spanning from around 3300 BC to the Roman period, but also in the fascinating legacy of Egypt’s film industry. Her interest in the latter began when she purchased a teacup featuring images of female stars in a souvenir shop. Intrigued by the identities of these beautiful Egyptian actresses, she uncovered another hidden treasure of Egypt: the golden age of Egyptian cinema, which flourished from the 1940s to the 1960s. During this period, iconic actresses played leading roles when Egypt rise to become the third-largest film industry in the world. In the art works special attention is given to some of the most celebrated Egyptian actresses of this era, including Faten Hamama, Zubaida Tharwat, Shadia, Nadia Lutfi, Hind Rostom, Mariam Fakhr Eddine, Naima Akef and Soad Hosny. These remarkable women played a defining role in shaping Egyptian cinema and continue to inspire generations. For this Egypt project, The Green Fairy was supported by her aunt, who shared her fascination with Egyptian history and old movie stars. This exhibition is dedicated to her memory, as she passed away before the opening of the exhibition at the age of  97.

Some collages, as well as reproductions of the collages (e.g. postcards,…) are for sale.