Prix Meurice for Contemporary Art 2010/2011

Julien Berthier

Galerie Georges Philippe et Nathalie Vallois

Born 1975. Lives in Paris.

Julien Berthier imagines some machines and situations that are often absurd. He doesn’t aim the absurd; he tries to show in a cynical way the failed attempts to make a better world.
These objects are inspired by the shape of town equipments, working sites, or work environment.His works, inspired by a reflexion about the current news, proposes individual solutions for general politics issues.

Project
Monstre: a bronze sculpture, shown in various world capitals, moulded from “bulky item” - those unwieldy objects left on the pavement for collection by the Paris refuse service. This anonymous assembly of cast-offs, cast in bronze, and becomes a sculptural gesture. This transformation gesture shows the end life of consumption objects and raises some issues on the sculptural gesture, on the public sculptural aspect and on the public/private relation which reveals the town and its use.
As part of the project, one of these monsters will be shown in several big cities of the world and will be first shown in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris (FIAC outdoor project), one at the Armory Show in New York, and one at Frieze in London.

Selected shows:
Solo shows :
2009
Le paradoxe de Robinson, Monnaie de Paris, Paris
Neglectable collectings, Galerie Michael Wiesehöfer, Cologne
2008
Evaluation 360°, Galerie GP & N Vallois, Paris
Welcome Home, Frac Franche-Comté, Le Pavé dans la Mare, Besançon
2007
Love Love and other attempts, Allsopp Contemporary, Londres
Les rives du pédiluves, CRAC Alsace, Altkirch.

Group shows:
2010
America Deserta, Parc Saint-Léger, Pougues-les-eaux, France
BIP 2010 (out of control), Biennale internationale de la photographie et des arts visuels,
Liège
2009
90’, Frac Franche-Comté, Saline Royale, Arc et Senans
2008
Prêt-à-porter, Kasseler Kunstverein, Cassel
Drift 08, La Tamise, Londres
2007
Surréalités. Traces du surréel dans l’art contemporain, CentrePasquArt, Bienne
2006
La Force de l’art 01, Interpositions, curator : Paul Ardenne, Grand Palais, Paris.