Christophe Blanc (FR)

Born 1968

”It’s like a mapping of feelings, states of souls, ways of understanding life.”
 Christophe Blanc

The artist Christophe Blanc describes the many facets of the human existence with his oil paintings. He is born in Colmar, France, and has studied architecture but decides to focus on painting. Today he is a significant profile in french contemporary art. 

The centre of Blancs paintings are the expressive characters. They find themselves in scenes of both loneliness and excitement; alone or in festive groups. They stand, sit, drink or sing in unison, – opposite us. Through the characteristic individuals the paintings map human emotions and expressions. The characters are at the same time anonymous and distinctive in their appearance, which creates a dynamic contrast: They all look similar but are still their own persons. They demand our attention when they look directly at us. One is instantly drawn by their presence and a vibrating connection occurs between them and us. 

The artist believes, that the beholder should be the one to interpret the works, but he doesn’t hide the fact that the paintings have a societal dimension. Especially the paintings depicting water are representing the critical political and climatic situation: The oceans are rising both figuratively and literally. The characters react to these unpleasant facts differently by either being in contemplative silence or dissociating themselves in hedonistic drinking.  

Technically Blanc uses coarse strokes, saturated earth tones and clean stylistics. Layer upon layer he builds his oil paintings around emotions of vulnerability, ironi and joy. The backgrounds are simple – allowing the characters to be in focus. Hence the artist lets human identity become the centre of his works. Blanc mixes realism with non-places and creates a completely unique world within his paintings, which is both far from and also directly connected to our own. Christophe Blancs expression is unusually effectful, and you won’t forget the encounter.  

– Stud.mag. Nordic language and literature & Visual Culture, Anna Emilie Ravn

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2022
"Lights and Shadows", solo exhibition, Galleri V58, Aarhus, DK
Galerie Art du Temps, Cleon d'andran, group exhibition, FR
Galleri V58, group exhibition, Aarhus, DK
"Comparaisons", Grand Palais Ephémére, group exhibition, Paris, FR

2021
Galleri V58, group exhibition, Aarhus, DK
Galerie Art du Temps, Cleon d’andran, solo exhibition, FR
Affordable Art Fair Hamburg,  represented by Galleri V58
Galerie Sebban, group exhibition, Paris, FR
Artcité, Fontenay sous bois, group exhibition, FR
RDV d'Art, group exhibition, Paris, FR

2020  
Wintershow, Galleri V58, Aarhus, DK  
Camparaisons, Grand Palais, Paris, FR  
Artcité, Fontenay souis bois, FR  
Luxart Galleri, Arlon, BE  
Galerie Sebban, Paris, FR (SOLO)  
Galeri Art du Temps, FR

2019   
NORTH ART FAIR, represented by GALLERI V58 Aarhus, Danmark
Art Herning, Herning, represented by GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Danmark  
GALLERI V58, Human landscapes, Aarhus, Danmark (SOLO)  
Galerie Europia, Paris, Frankrig (SOLO)
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, Frankrig
Luxart Galleri, Arlon, BE
Galerie Sebban, Paris, FR  
Galeri Art du Temps, FR

2018
NORTH art fair, Aalborg, represented by GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
GALLERI V58, French Connections - Human, group exhibition, Aarhus, Denmark
Det Intense Møde, review in Magasinet Kunst.
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Expo LIBERTÉS, Houdan, France

2017
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Luxart Galerie, group exhibition, Arlon, Belgium
Galerie PasseArt, solo exhibition, Troyes, France
Galerie SoLo Atelier, solo exhibition, Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, France
Galerie Jakez, group exhibition, Pont-Aven, France
Invité d’honneur, Salon de peinture de Grand Quevilly, France

2016
GALLERI V58, Aarhus, Denmark
Claudine Legrand Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Luxart Galerie, solo exhibition, Arlon, Belgium
Galerie Jakez, group exhibition, Pont-Aven, France
Biennale 109, Pontlevoy, France

2015
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Claudine Legrand Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Biennale 109, Paris, France
Rdv d'art, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France

2014
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Claudine Legrand Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Rdv d'art, Paris, France
Fondation Taylor, grand prix Univers des Arts, Paris, France

2013
Galerie Art du Temps, solo exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Claudine Legrand Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Rdv d'art, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Les Hivernales (The Winter), invited by C. Noorbergen, Montreuil, France
L’atelier, solo exhibition

2012
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
L'humanité (The Humanity), Palais de Beaulieu, Lausanne, Switzerland
La plume noire, Musée de la Poste, prix Senghor, Paris, France
Puls’art, Le Mans, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
L’atelier, solo exhibition

2011
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
L’atelier, solo exhibition

2010
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Claudine Legrand Gallery, group exhibition, Paris, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Puls’art, Le Mans, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Figuration Critique, Essen, Germany
L’atelier, solo exhibition

2009
Galerie Art du Temps, solo exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Paris - Damas - regards croisés (Paris - Damascus - viewpoints), National Museum of Damascus, Syria
L’atelier, solo exhibition

2008
Galerie Art du Temps, group exhibition, Cleon d'Andran, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Paris - Damas - regards croisés (Paris - Damascus - viewpoints), Arab World Institute, Paris, France
L’atelier, solo exhibition
Biennale de Conches, Conches-en-Ouche, France
L’usine a Zabu, Dreux, France
Centre d’Art contemporain, Chamalière, France

2007
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Centre d’Art contemporain, Chamalière, France
Espace FMR, solo exhibition, Paris, France
Salon d’Automne, Paris, France
Art a Sarria (Art in Sarria), Sarria, Spain

2006
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Centre d’Art contemporain, Chamalière, France
Salon d’Automne, Paris, France
Art a Sarria (Art in Sarria), Sarria, Spain
La Plume Noire, solo exhibition, Paris, France
Galerie Ucellino, Marseille, France

2005
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Salon d’Automne, Paris, France
Art a Sarria (Art in Sarria), Sarria, Spain
Fondation Taylor, solo exhibition, Paris, France

2004
ARTCITÉ, Fontenay sous bois, France
Comparaisons nouvelles (New comparisons), Grand Palais, Paris, France
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Salon d’Automne, Paris, France
L’homme au cœur de l’art contemporain (The man at the heart of contemporary art), MAIF head office, Niort, France

2003
Figuration Critique, Paris, France
Salon d’Automne, Paris, France
International Biennale of Beijing, China
Guest of the sculptor Denis Monfleur, Fontenay sous bois, France
Château des Logis, Brecey, France

2002
Château des Logis, Brecey, France

BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHRISTOPHE BLANC, monograph, Dizart Editions (2013)
Contemporary Expressionism - 200 works of flesh and blood, Lelivredart Editions (2010)
Christophe Blanc, publication on the occasion of Puls'art, Lelivredart Editions (2010)
L’art du Nu (The Art of Nude), Editions Patou (2010, 2008)
Galerie Art du Temps 2006/2010 (2010)
Paris - Damas - regards croisés (Paris - Damascus - viewpoints), Europia Editions (2008)
L’homme au cœur de l’art contemporain (The man at the heart of contemporary art) (2004)
Aralya, No. 35 and No. 36 (2015)
Straw Dogs MAGAZINE (2015)
Vivre l'art magazine, blog (2015)
MIROIR DE L'ART (2013)
Artension, No. 98 (2009)
Univers des arts, No. 182 (2015), No. 171 (2013), No. 140 (2009), No. 90 (2005)
Azart, No. 40 (2009)

PRIZES AND GRANTS
Prix Lelivredart, Puls’art, Le Mans, France (2010)
Prix Artension, Artcité, Fontenay sous bois, France (2009)
Prix Boesner, Figuration Critique, Paris, France (2009)
Prix Marin, Salon d’Automne, Paris, France, (2006)
Prix de la recherche plastique, Paul Ackerman, Paris, France (2002)
Prix du Conseil Général de la Manche, Brecey, France (2002)

‘Sur la bordure VII’ (På kanten)’, olie på lærred, 97 x 162, 2023, SOLGT

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