

CLAUDE GILLI
Biography
Claude Gilli is a major figure of the “École de Nice” (School of Nice) that had a considerable impact on French pop art. Born in Nice in 1938, he enters the School of applied arts of his hometown in 1955. In 1962, on New Year’s Eve, he burns most of his early works. Close to the artists Albert Chubac, Martial Raysse, Ben, but also Arman, César, Farhi and Venet it’s his encounter with Robert Malaval that will lead to different works that they made in common around “aliment blanc”. Having obtained the Lefranc prize in 1966, he is shown at the exhibition “12 super realists” at the Del Leone gallery, Venice, where he disco- vers the works of American “pop” artists, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Wesselmann. In 1968 he starts working with Plexiglas and then continues with a series of paintings “aux escargots” (with snails). In the 1970’s he moves to Paris and is also shown in numerous international exhibitions, one of them was dedicated to the school of Nice a the Pompidou Center, Paris. The degenerative disorder he was subject to finally caught up with him and obliges him to be in a wheelchair. He starts working tirelessly and develops works in cut iron, notably for outdoor pieces and monumental sculptures.
Exhibitions
EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)
2018
Pop Art : Les feux de l'amour
2017
À propos de Nice : 1947-1977, MAMAC, Nice, France.
2012
A l’origine, Nice, exposition de groupe, Malborough Gallery, Nice, France
2011
Musée Fernand Léger, Biot, France
2007
James Mayor Gallery, Londres, Angleterre
2006
Loft Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
Guy Pieters Gallery, Knokke-le-Zoute, Belgium
2004
Galerie du Centre, Paris, France
Rétrospective, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux, France
2003
Rétrospective, Villa Tamaris, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France
2000
Hervé Loevenbruck Gallery, Paris, France
1999
Rétrospective, Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Nice, France
1991
Jousse & Segui Gallery, Paris
1990
Exposition de l’ensemble de ses sculptures en acier, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Rouen, France
1987
Loft Gallery, Paris, France
1981
Rétrospective, Musée de Nice, Nice, France
1977
L’Ecole de Nice, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
1976
Vallois Gallery, Paris, France
1973
Ferrero Gallery, Nice, France
1972
Escargots, Paris, France
1968
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, Belgium
1967
12 Super-Réalistes, Galleria Del Leone, Venice, Italy
1966
Yvon Lambert Gallery, Paris, France
1963
Henriette Legendre Gallery, Paris, France
1958
Laboratoire 32, inauguration of Ben's store, Nice, France
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FRAC Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur
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Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres de la République française
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