“All Alive” exhibition by Thierry Bisch at the Grands Chais Monégasques

Didier Viltart and the Ferus Gallery are very pleased to present an exceptional exhibition of drawings by Thierry Bisch at the Grands Chais Monégasques.

 

The painter, internationally renowned for his animal portraits, will decline for his exhibition “Tous Vivants” (All Alive) several dozen drawings on paper.

 

It is with all his vivacious passion for the preservation of biodiversity that Thierry Bisch sketched here the postures of different “Beasts”, such as elephants, panthers, bears, tigers, raccoons, buffaloes, etc…

 

“Tous Vivants” instantly induces in our psyche a notion of solidarity: these are two little words to say “Welcome” (to the community of the living), but also – faced with the fragility of these little beings highlighted by the delicacy of the paper – “Stop everything!” : stop the destruction of wild habitats, biodiversity, stop wars and other human follies.

 

Thierry Bisch and the Ferus Gallery will present a preview in Monaco, thanks to the Grands Chais Monégasques, of 33 unpublished drawings:

 

7 drawings on Nepal paper 170 gr
10 drawings on laid paper 140 gr
1 drawing on Canson paper
2 drawings on Arche paper
13 small drawings

 

Exhibition visible until May 31, 2022.

 

 

 

Thierry Bisch ’s wild animals

 

In the 80’s in New York, emerging a new generation of Art Dealers, défiants, proud and undisputed runners of the art market of the time who to the question: what to buy today ? answered you; you need to focus on the three I’s, Inventors, Imitators and Idiots; collect the inventors, they are the ones who will stay, they are the ones who will be worth the money.

 

I met Thierry Bisch 25 years ago in Paris. It was the time when he began to produce his animal portraits, which portraits were looked upon with disdain by the supporters of the Parisian Contemporary Art. By that time I was dealing with the emergence of Chinese Contemporary Art the same experts did not want to recognize.

 

We then began our long collaboration, Thierry continued to paint his animals.

 

Writing his founding text on the birth of Art and the cave of Lascaux, George Bataille created this stunning formula; « the man adorned with the prestige of the beast”. Today, where a bunch of “idiots” paints us cigar-smoking Lions, or sculpted gorillas wielding oil barrels, futility, cheap kitsch far too expensive, these idiots are not only ridiculous but they allow us to insult the wild animals thus “adorned” with our own vices, the work of Thierry Bisch sounds like a call to order. Abandoning constraints, preconceptions and hearsay, Thierry Bisch operates a saving return to the essential; the beasts, Lion, Bulls, Bears, present themselves to us in total rediscovered freedom.

 

Be careful though, take a good look at Thierry’s animals, they can jump down your throat at any time.

 

As a conclusion, we must speak again of the Art dealers, the Art dealers, the very same one who look upon the Lalanne sheep that are snapped up today at exorbitant prices, with tears in the eyes and lubricious »Buuuut” they answer when they are presented that they are « simple sheep ».

 

Didier Viltart – march 2022