André Colpin is a contemporary Belgian artist based in France, born in Brussels in 1939. He studied at the École Normale de Morlanwelz until 1961 and has since embraced a Freinetist approach, influenced by two decades of experience in special education. Colpin holds a Master's degree in the creation of communications and the publication of notes on the socialization of characters through collective art, leading to his production of urban works of collective art brut.
In 1976, he established his graphic expression workshop and art printing techniques, focusing on prints and books, in Brussels. He later expanded his artistic practice to Houston, USA, in 1980 after exploring the remaining paths of the companion route connecting various paper mills. Throughout his career, Colpin has held numerous personal exhibitions at prestigious venues, including the Palais des Beaux-Arts and private galleries in Belgium and abroad, including France, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Colpin is known for his innovative "Work in Progress" exhibitions, where openings feature bare picture rails with papermakers, engravers, lithographers, typesetters, and bookbinders actively creating art. As the exhibition evolves, works are produced, numbered, and strictly limited to the number of visiting subscribers. His experimental endeavors have been supported by collaborations with Solvay laboratories and the Rijkscentrum Frans Masereel in Kasterlee.
His artworks are represented in the collections of various museums and print cabinets in Belgium, France, Lebanon, and Japan. Additionally, Colpin is a founding member of the Village du Book in Redu, Belgium.