- Born in Bree on 24.06.1959
- High school ‘Graduaat in de orthopedagogie’ aan de ‘IPSOC’ in Kortrijk.
- 1984 tot 1987: Three years training in ‘special education’ in Zeist (the Netherlands).
- 1987 tot 1991: sculpture college on the Art Academy ‘Alanushochschule in Alfter’ (Germany)
- 1990 sculpture college on the Royal Academy for Fine Arts ‘KASK’ in Gent (Belgium)
- 1996-1997: master course on the ‘High Institute for Fine Arts’ in Antwerp (Belgium)
- 2004: Master degree in the Alanus University for Art and Social Siences (Germany)
1991
- Group exposition ‘Bunker 91’ te Antwerpen. (Belgium)
- Group exposition by ‘Bayer’ te Wuppertal.(Germany)
1992:
- Working as stone sculptor in Larvik (Norway)
- Group exposition ‘BRUL 93’ in de St. Baafsabdij in Gent. (Belgium)
1993
- Participation on a sculptor symposium in Satteldorf (Germany).
- Exposition in ‘Het Muizelhuis’ te Hulste.(Belgium).
- Realisation of the project ‘De Oogst’ in de ‘Christoforusgemeenschap’ te Munte.
1995
- Exposition in ‘De Slijperij’ in Geel. (Belgium).
- Foundation of the association ‘artObe’, vzw, an association to develop art and art education.
- Group exposition in the cultural centrum ‘De Werft’ te Geel. (Belgium)
1996
- Laureate for the competition ‘Bonsaï-kan’ in Hasselt. (Belgium)
- Group exposition in the ‘Openbare Bibliotheek’ in Lille.(Belgium)
- Selected for the ‘High Institute for Fine Arts’ in Antwerp. (Belgium)
1997
- Realisation of the project ‘komen en gaan’ in cooperation with the ‘Christoforusgemeenschap’ in Munte.
- Selected for the sculptor symposium in Thessaloniki as the ‘Cultural Capital of Europe’.
- Group exposition ‘Kunst in het Arsenaal’ organized by the ‘HISK’.
- Laureate by ‘Kiezen voor Kunst’ for the region ‘Kempen’ in de ‘Warande’ te Turnhout.(Belgium)
- Laureate by ‘Kiezen Voor Kunst’ in the ‘Atomium’ in Brussels.
1998
- Group exposition in ‘Das Belgische Haus’ in Cologne. (Germany)
- Realization of a commission for ‘de nieuwe A-dienst’ for the ‘St.Camilluskliniek’ in Gent. (Belgium)
- Realization from the project ‘Nesten’ an art route for children, organized by three cultural centers ‘De Warande’ in Turnhout, ‘De Werft in Geel’ en ‘De Westrand’ in Dilbeek.(Belgium)
- Participation on the International Art Symposium ‘Inner Spaces’ in Poznan (Poland) with an exposition in ‘Galerii Miejeskiej Arsenal’.
- Realization of a commission for the ‘ACV’ in Turnhout (Belgium)
- Group exposition in the ‘Cité International des Arts’ in Paris.
1999
- Realization of a commission for ‘Widar’ in cooperation with the residents of the community ‘Widar’, an institution for mental handicapped adults in Merksplas. (Belgium)
- Exposition in ‘Fabri Metal’ in Antwerp. (Belgium)
- International sculptor symposium in Luxemburg with as theme: ‘Art and Nature’
2000
- Exposition in ‘De Refuge’ in Antwerp
- Exposition in ‘Fort-Art’ in Doornik
- Exposition in ‘Centrum voor Jonge Kunst’ in Gent (Mariakerke)
- Organising a sculpture symposium in Rumenia. (Plopi)
- Sculptor symposium within the framework of 250 years Bach in Ehrfurt (Germany).
- Exposition in ‘De Lage Rooy’ in Meerle (Belgium)
2001
- Group exposition in gallery ‘De Lage Rooy’ te Meerle (Belgïum).
- Project ‘Art and Landscape’ in ‘De Lilse Bergen’ in Lille in cooperation with the Students of the Alanus high school from Alfter (Germany)
- Three month ’s course in Adult Education by NALM (New Adult Learning Movement), with Coenraad Van Houten.
2002
- Individual Exposition in the Cultural Centrum ‘De Werft’ in Geel.
- “Traces”, a foot walk from Prague to Odessa in 100 days, with two youngsters, leaving a trace of art, in cooperation with Oikoten.
- Group exposition, ‘Wankel Evenwicht’. Exposition in the “KADOC” in Leuven. Artists let themselves inspire by youngsters, organised by the ‘Oikoten vzw’.
2003
- Exposition in the community house from Terneuzen (Netherlands).
- Group exposition in gallery De Laro in Meerle.
- Exposition in ‘Huis Hellemans’ in Edegem.
- Happening with the public. Making a monumental installation together with the visitors, out of branches, rope and stones, in Fort 5 in Edegem.
2004
- Land-art project in Wilhelmsdorf (D).
- Group exposition in the “Landgericht in Bonn” (D).
2005
- Group exposition Beelden Biënnale Beerse (B)
- Group exposition ‘Tijd voor Tijd’ in the old cole mine building in Houthalen (B)
- Symposium in wood (Finland).
- Exposition Natuurpunt Turnhout.
2006
- Exposition: De Bijl Zoersel(B), (t)Huis voor kunst en cultuur.
2007
- Landart project with art students in the community of Beerse
- Public happening with a fire sculpture and exposition in Onland, Oud Turnhout
- Privat commissions
2008
- Exposition in galerij “De Brug” in Antwerp
2009
- “mater”, exhibition in” De Halle”, cultuurcentrum De Werft , Geel
- Artproject “De verruimde horizon” for the city of Aalst, with branches and loam in cooperation with school ‘De Horizon’.
- Artproject “Takken en Touw” in Boechout, an installation in the park of the institute“De Broeders Alexianen” together with the inhabitants of the institute..
2010
- Group exhibition in Galery “Caviart” in Ittre.
- Art Project “Light” in Aalst in Cooperation with IBSO de Horizon. See movie.
- Exhibition Arboretum Kalmthout.
2012
- Opening own exposition space, UNIT 2, in Wechelderzande with privat exposition from Jaak Hillen and May Oostvogels.
- Group exposition, 11e BeeldenBienaleBeerse in Beerse.
- Publication book: Creatieprocessen, Jaak Hillen, Via Libra Antwerpen 2012, 232 p., hardcover, isbn-nummer: 978 90 77611 18 0
2013
- “Torens van steen en wolken”, art project for the city of Aalst in cooperation with IBSO de Horizon.
- Sculp-en Sologne, wood sculpture symposium in Chaumont sur Tharonne (F)
2014
- Landed, international land-art project in cooperation with Beerse (BE) together with 9 other artists.
- Group exposition in galery Beukenhof in Kluisbergen (BE), www.beukenhof.com .
- Group exposition in galery Capazza in Vernay (FR), www.galerie-capazza.com
2015
- Group exposition in galery Beukenhof in Kluisbergen (BE) , www.beukenhof.com
- Group exposition, Mia Moreau, Westende (B)
- Villa Expo: group exposition in Zemzeke (B)
2016
- Group exposition in galery Beukenhof in Kluisbergen (BE) , www.beukenhof.com
- Group exposition, Mia Moreau, Westende (B)
- Participation “Kunstroute Open Stal” in Olderberknooop (NL), www.openstal.nl
2017
Group exposition in galery Smashing colours in Oirschot (NL) , www.smashingcolors.nl
Participation at project “Pillars of Freedom”, with work in Kamp-C in Westerlo (BE) . More here.
2018
- Expo in Gallery Smashing Colors in Goirle (NL)
2019
- Kunst und Raum: Art project Weckelweiler (D) in cooperation with the Alanus University Alfter
- Expo in Gallery Smashing Colors in Goirle (NL)
2020
Coronabreak
2021
- Group expo ‘Beeld en Beleving’ summer 2021 in Bergeyck (NL) with 5 monumentals works. More here.
- Groeps expo. Dertien Kempense kunstenaars stellen vanaf 1 oktober 2021 werken tentoon in het Taxandriamuseum te Turnhout. More here.
- Group exposition in galery Fashing colours in Oirschot (NL) , www.smashingcolors.nl, from 14 oktober 2021
- Group expo, John Dondeyne Hommage, 06|11|21 tot 28|11|21, Hofke van Chantraine, Oud Turnhout. More here.
2022
Expo – Panta Rhei, together with May Oostvogels en Helena Schepens in artObe+, Wechelderzande, B.
2023
- Group expo – NIEUW LEVEN, with Annelien Feyaerts (papier art), Jaak Hillen (objects in wood) en Peter De Marrez (book sculptures), Cc de borre Bierbeek, 31.03.2023 – 26.04.2023
- Goup expo – ‘Kanttekening’, with Sonja Geens, May Oostvogels, Gert Van Dessel, Jaak Hillen –
sculptures, paintings and objects – artobe+, unit 2 Wechelderzande, 6 – 21 May 2023
BOOKS
Insertion in the Book: ‘Kunst in België na 1975’ samengesteld door Florent Bex, Mercatorfonds 2001, p. 331, 366, 367, 371, 357, 394.
Creatieprocessen, Jaak Hillen, Via Libra, Antwerpen 2012.
Wegen van Wil, Jaak Hillen, Via Libra, Antwerpen 2017.
Visiting lecturer in Europe since 1990.
Lecturer in the Alanus University for Art and Social Sciences in Alfter since 1992. www.alanus.edu