Biography
Jean Dubuffet, born in 1901 in Le Havre and died in 1985 in Paris, was a French painter, sculptor, draftsman, and engraver, famous for his work but also for being the “inventor” of a type of art he called “art brut”. In 1942, he decided to devote himself solely to painting. His first exhibition in 1944 at Drouin in Paris provoked passionate reactions. Although initially met with fierce criticism, over the years his work has established itself as one of the most important of the 20th century.
Through his vigorous criticism of the “suffocating” academic and dominant culture, he became a defender of the art of marginalized and mentally ill people, a rich source of inspiration. His personal collection gave rise to the Musée de la Collection de l'Art Brut in Lausanne.
Self-taught, after brief stints at the École des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre and the Académie Julian, his practice is characterized by a continuous exploration of materials and forms. With great inventive spontaneity, his transgressions allow for a renewal of the figurative vocabulary. His production is organized into successive series, each time inaugurating a change in style and, literally, in worldview.
His works were exhibited in the most prestigious institutions: Kunsthaus Zurich (1961), The Art Institute of Chicago (1962), MoMa in New York (1962, 1968, 1973), Tate Gallery, London (1966), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (1966, 1973, 1981), Seibu Museum of Art, Tokyo (1982), Malmö Konsthall (1984), Fondation Maeght (1985), retrospective at the Centre Pompidou (2001), and more.
