SCULPTURES FROM 1971-1982 – BERNARD PAGÈS

PRESS RELEASE

Sculptor Bernard Pagès was born in 1940 in Cahors, southern France. He studied at the Atelier d’Art Sacré. Since 1967, he has participated in numerous group exhibitions, and in 1975, he held his first solo exhibition in Paris. Pagès’ works have been exhibited not only in his native France but also in Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the United States. He is regarded as one of the most dynamic figures in contemporary French sculpture. A multifaceted artist, Pagès’ unique visual language remains connected to centuries-old sculptural traditions and the legacy of his ancestors.

Pagès’ artistic journey can be divided into distinct periods: the era of series-based works, followed by a phase of constructed sculptures, and more recently, his focus on the column as a dominant theme. His constructed works, featured at the 1975 Paris Biennale, brought him significant public recognition. In addition to sculptures, Pagès has experimented with mural painting and environmental art.

Pagès creates his sculptures in the mountainous landscapes north of Nice, in northeastern France. His artistic practice is deeply rooted in this region of France – in cities like Nice, Marseille, Nîmes, Antibes, and Toulon – where art and culture thrive vibrantly. When working, Bernard Pagès embodies the roles of mason, carpenter, blacksmith, and woodcutter. He employs the simplest techniques, deliberately avoiding technical perfection, as his focus lies on the traditional knowledge of farmers and craftsmen.

This exhibition has been organized by the Musée National d’Art Moderne / Centre Georges Pompidou in collaboration with the Pori Art Museum.

Translated with ChatGPT