Biography
Born in Paris in 1985, Prune Nourry lives and works between New York and Paris. A 2006 graduate in wood sculpture from the École Boulle in Paris, she is represented by Galerie Templon (Paris, Brussels) and Simon Studer Art in Switzerland.
Prune Nourry raises ethical questions relating to the concept of balance in the broadest sense: the body and its healing process, demographic imbalance due to gender selection and scientific aberrations, ecosystems and the interdependence between living species. Her works combine sculpture, installation and performance, and are often the subject of rituals, sometimes involving burial or disappearance, which she documents via photography and video. Her oeuvre is geographically and temporally contextualised through investigations drawing on disciplines outside the art field. Her projects are international in scope, resulting from meetings with specialists – geneticists, sociologists, anthropologists and archaeologists – who, like her, are often "guided" by the tangential chance discoveries known as serendipity.
Clay, her favourite material, is Prune Nourry's anchor and the core of her practice. She also works with various craftspeople, which enables the exploration of different materials and new techniques. In China, for example, she joined forces with local craftsmen to create Terracotta Daughters, inspired by the buried warriors of Xi'an. The backbone of her work for almost twenty years, this "army of girls" was exhibited around the world between 2013 and 2015, from Shanghai to Paris via Zurich, New York and Mexico City, before being buried in an undisclosed location in China and awaiting excavation in 2030.
In late 2022, at Château La Coste, in Aix-en-Provence, she built the troglodytic architectural sculpture Mater Earth – a reclining pregnant woman emerging from the landscape – which required the participation of 80 people from 14 different trades. This permanent commissioned work, with its stone foundations and mud brick and fired brick structure, embodies all the themes dear to the artist: the myths of creation, the Earth and fertility and its rites.
The year 2016 marked a turning point in Prune Nourry's personal and artistic career, when she learned, at the age of thirty-one, that she had breast cancer. It was in the nature of things that she then became her own subject, whereas previously she had been considering the world and its imbalances from an objective point of view. In 2018, she made an introspective documentary, Serendipity, recounting her struggle and pointing up the strange correspondences between her earlier works and her illness. The film was shown at the Berlin Film Festival, inaugurated MoMA's Doc Fortnight, screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and was included in the Art Basel Film programme. She followed up in 2019 with a series of ex-votos titled Catharsis, and in early 2021 with the monumental site-specific installation L'Amazone Érogène [The Erogenous Amazon]at the Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris, highlighting the bow and arrow, the attributes of these mythical warriors.
At the invitation of the Musée Guimet in Paris, in 2017 Prune Nourry presented the Holy exhibition, with a giant fragmented Buddha covered in incense sticks like acupuncture needles (La Destruction n'est pas une fin en soi - Destruction is not the End) as a common thread running through all the floors. This sculpture, which prefigured the immense Amazon she created the following year to ward off illness, was also a tribute to the Buddhas of Bâmiyân (Afghanistan), destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 shortly before the 11 September attacks. A number of the artist's works also interacted with the museum's collection, triggering visual analogies and semantic correlations.
On 16 October 2023, in the wake of Projet Phenix, the French Post Office issued 450,000 copies of an embossed stamp created by Prune Nourry, her smallest sculpture to date. She chose as her motif the hands of Aïcha, a pupil at INJA, the National Institute for Sight-impaired Young People, in Paris.
Early in 2025 Galerie Templon in Paris will be presenting the exhibition Venus in connection with the monumental Les Vénus dionysiennes for the Grand Paris Express, created in tandem with architect Kengo Kuma for the Saint-Denis-Pleyel station and scheduled for inauguration in 2026. This corpus of 108 sculptures evokes the earliest representations of women, dating from the Paleolithic: the Gravettian Venuses.
In 2024, Prune Nourry and Claude Grunitzky established the Catharsis Arts Foundation to draw attention to the harrowing stories of certain communities via travelling exhibitions designed with the artists and craftspeople concerned. The result was Statues Also Breathe, a tribute to the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria, on 14 April 2014. In the style of the sacred Yoruba heads of Ile-Ife, in Nigeria, this "army of 108 girls"had been created in 2022 in collaboration with Nigeria's Obafemi-Awolowo University and the families of the captives. Once it has travelled, the work is destined to join the collection of a museum in Africa, as a reminder of Nigeria's cultural richness and the ongoing struggle for girls' education around the world. In addition, the Strand for Women collective and participatory exhibition is a response to the appeal from the #WomanLifeFreedom (#FemmeVieLiberté) movement born in Iran in 2022. Other projects are in the offing.
Selected exhibitions and performances
Personal exhibitions
- 2023
Prune Nourry - Musée de La Poste, Paris, France
Fauteuil d'artiste #11 - La Scala - Paris, Paris, France - 2022
Statues Also Breathe - Art Twenty One,Lagos, Nigeria
Mater Earth - Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France
Amazone Érogène - Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
Atys - Cour d'honneur, Assemblée nationale, Paris, France
Infinite Arrows - Galerie Templon, Brussels, Belgium
Atys - Opéra-ballet, Opéra royal de Versailles, Paris, France
Atys - Grands foyers, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
Atys - Opéra-ballet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland - 2021
Statues Also Breathe - Art Twenty One, Lagos, Nigeria
Project Phenix - Galerie Templon, Paris, France
L’Amazone Érogène - Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, Paris, France - 2019
Catharsis - Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Daughters - Château Malromé, Saint-André-du-Bois, France
Serendipity - Film released in France (mk2) and U.S.A.
Serendipity- Film présented at the Berlin International Film Festival - Berlin, Germany ; MoMA’s Festival of International Nonfiction Film and Media ; Tribeca Film Festival - New York, U.S.A. ; Art Basel Film Program - Basel, Switzerland ; Athens International Film Festival - Athens, Greece and at the Mill Valley Film Festival - San Rafael (CA), U.S.A. - 2018
The Amazon - Standard Plaza Hotel, New York, USA
La Destruction n’est pas une fin en soi - Les Rencontres de la photographie d’Arles, Les Magasins Electriques, Arles, France - 2017
Holy, Carte Blanche à Prune Nourry - Musée Guimet, Paris, France
Contemporary Archeology - Galerie Daniel Templon, Brussels, Belgium - 2016
Imbalance - Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris, France
Anima - The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. - 2015
The Earth Ceremony - Landfill of the Terracotta Daughters army, China
Terracotta Daughters - Simon Studer Art, Geneva, Switzerland - 2014
Terracotta Daughters - Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli, Mexico City, Mexico
Le Dîner Archéologique - Happening with the chief Jair Téllez, Mexico City, Mexico
Terracotta Daughters - China Institute, New York, U.S.A.
Imbalance - Specific installation in a back & foot rub, New York, U.S.A.
Terracotta Daughters - Flux Laboratory, Zurich, Switzerland
Le Diner Archeologique - Happening with the Chef Etoile Michelin Jean François Piege, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
Terracotta Daughters - Galerie Magda Danysz , Paris, France
Terracotta Daughters - Le Centquatre, Paris, France - 2013
Terracotta Daughters - Galerie Magda Danysz, Shanghai, China
Le Dîner Archéologique - Happening in collaboration with the Chef Etoile Michelin Mauro Colagreco
Genesis - Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Holy Daughters - Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
Holy Daughters - Galerie Henrik Springmann, Berlin, Germany - 2012
Holy Daughters - The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
- 2011
Holy River - Happening, Calcutta Arts Club, Calcutta, India
Spermbar - Installation and happening, Crossing the Line Festival, New York, U.S.A.
Holy Daughters - Curated by Tatyana Franck, Paris, France - 2010
Holy Daughters - Happening, New Delhi, India
- 2009
Le Dîner Procréatif - Happening, Espace «R», Geneva, Switzerland
Le Dîner Procréatif - Happening, The Laboratory Studio, Paris, France - 2008
Les Bébés domestiques - Happening, Tokyo, Japan
Adoption Day #2 - Happening, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium - 2007
Les Bébés Domestiques - Galerie Max Lang, New York, U.S.A.
Adoption Day #2 - Happening, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
Adoption Day #1 - Happening, Jaguar Shoes Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Exposition in situ - Animalerie, Quai de la Mégisserie, Paris, France
Collective exhibitions
- 2024
Breasts - Curated by Carolina Pasti, Palazzo Franchetti S. Marco, Venice, Italy
Faire corps - Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la Sorgue, France
Atys - Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, France - 2023
Dsoérdre - H Gallery, Paris, France
L'Hôtel particulier de Monsieur H - Galerie Mouvements Modernes, Paris, France
Temporality_Capturing the transience of the present moment - MOT (Module of Temporality), Lviv, Ukraine
Métro ! Le Grand Paris en mouvement - Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris, France
Just Phriends - Joopiter, Perrotin Matignon, Paris, France
Sculpture Garden - Biennale, Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Temporality_Capturing the transience of the present moment - MOT (Module of Temporality), Dnipro, Ukraine
Strand For Women - New York, U.S.A.
Temporality_Capturing the transience of the present moment - MOT (Module of Temporality), Kiev, Ukraine
De leur temps (7) Un regard sur les collections privées françaises - FRAC Grand Large, Dunkerque, France - 2022
Nafas - The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
Mettre au monde - Centre d’art contemporain l’ar[T]senal, Dreux, France
Glasstress 2022 - 9th edition, curated by Adriano Berengo and Dimitri Ozerkov, Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Venice, Italy
Her way to say it - The Invisible Collection, London, UK - 2019
Glasstress 2019 - 6th edition, curated by Vik Muniz and Koen Vanmechelen, Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Venice, Italy
Bêtes de Scène - Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France - 2018
Vis-à-vis - Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris, France
Collection David H. Brolliet - Geneve, Switzerland
40 ans de passion - Collection David H. Brolliet, Fondation Fernet-Branca, Saint-Louis, France - 2017
Hidden Art - Simon Studer Art, Geneve, Switzerland
- 2016
Anima - The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A
- 2015
Voices of 20 Contemporary Artists at Idem Paris - Tokyo Station Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
The Drawing Hands Chapter 4 - Md Gallery Paris, Galerie Magda Danysz, London, U.K.
360° - Galerie Magda Danysz, Shanghai, China
Sleeping Beauty - Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris, France
Asia Now - Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris, France - 2014
Girls - Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
La Part Animale - Galerie Sophie Sheidecker, Paris, France - 2013
At Home - Contemporary Art Center, Malaga, Spain
- 2011
Itinérances (#13) - Polka Galerie, Paris, France
Paris - Dehli - Bombay... - Centre Pompidou, Paris, France - 2009
Gimme More - Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
- 2008
Les Bébés domestiques - KJBi Art Space, Brussels, Belgium
Les Bébés domestiques - Art Brussels art fair, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium - 2007
Biennale d’Issy - Musée de la Carte à Jouer, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
- 2006
Wooster on Spring - New York, New York, U.S.A.
Aux Arts Citoyens - Espace des Blancs Manteaux, Paris, France - 2004
Galerie «M» - Paris, France
Toit et Moi - Galerie La Loge, Paris, France
Projects
- 2023
Prune Nourry - Stamp for the 2023 art series - Musée de La Poste, Paris, France
- 2022
Statues Also Breathe - Obafemi-Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Atys - Scénographie de l’opéra-ballet baroque, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland ; Opéra royal de Versailles, Versailles, France - 2020
Serendipity - Special screening series, UNAFF, Stanford, Denver Women Film Festival, Health Museum Houston, U.S.A.
Performances
- 2018
The Amazon, Installation and performance, Hudson River and Standard Plaza Hôtel, New York, U.S.A.
- 2014
Le Dîner archéologique, Performance in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Jean-François Piège, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
- 2013
Genesis, Personal exhibition and performance, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Le Dîner procréatif, Personal exhibition and performance, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland - 2011
Holy River, Performance, Kolkata Arts Club, Kolkata, India
Spermbar, Installation and performance, 5th Avenue commissioned by L’Institut français Alliance Française (FIAF) as part of the Crossing the Line Festival, New York, U.S.A. - 2010
Holy Daughters, Performance, New Delhi, India
- 2009
Le Dîner procréatif, Installation and performance, Espace R, Geneva, Switzerland
- 2008
Les Bébés domestiques, Performance, Tokyo, Japan
Adoption Day #2, Performance, Elaine Levy Gallery, Brussels, Belgium - 2007
Adoption Day #1, Performance, Jaguar Shoes Gallery, London, U.K.
Films
- 2023
Ligne de Vie, Documentary film directed by Vincent Lorca and Prune Nourry (5:17 min), edited by Thibault Perois, Praxis Films Production
Statues Also Breathe, Documentary film directed by Prune Nourry (17:49 min), Collaborative project with Obafemi-Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Strand For Women, Documentary film directed by Vincent Lorca and Prune Nourry (3:31 min), edited by Thibault Perois
Mater Earth, Documentary film directed by Vincent Lorca and Prune Nourry, (5:51 min), edited by Thibault Perois, Praxis Films Production - 2021
Projet Phenix ,Short film directed by Prune Nourry and Vincent Lorca, (8:58 min), edited by Thibault Perois, Praxis Films Production
- 2019
Serendipity ,lm documentaire réalisé par Prune Nourry, (74 min), écrit et produit par Alastair Siddons, édité par Paul Carlin, producteurs exécutifs : Angelina Jolie, Sol Guy, Darren Aronofsky, présenté au MoMA DOC Fortnight Festival, New York, États-Unis ; au Festival International du Film de Berlin (Berlinale 2019), Berlin, Allemagne ; au Tribeca Film Festival 2019, New York, États-Unis
Books
- 2023
Mater Earth , Texts by Nancy Huston, Catherine Grenier and Bono, catalog co-edited with the Château La Coste, published by Actes Sud
- 2021
L’Amazone Érogène , Texts by Daniel Pennac, exhibition catalog co-edited with -zeug et Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche Aux Amazones Forewords by Angelina Jolie, texts by Prune Nourry and various experts, published by Marabout
- 2019
Catharsis , Texts by Ittai Weinryb, Alain Quemin, Prune Nourry and Angelina Jolie, exhibition catalog co-edited with Galerie Templon
- 2017
Serendipity , Texts by François Ansermet, monograph published by Actes Sud
Conferences and Lectures
- 2024
Fondation Opale, Lens, Suisse
- 2022
Le monde est à nous , screening of Serendipity and conférence, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, France Duel #2 screening of Serendipity and discussion ; moderators : Tatyana Franck and François Asermet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
- 2019
First Edition of TIME 100 Health Summit , world leaders and eminent personalities from the healthcare sector discussing key perspectives on health and well-being, New York City, U.S. Metrograph Theater Introduction to Agnes Varda’s film “Cleo from 5 to 7”, New York City, U.S.
- 2018
Conversation between Taryn Simon and Prune Nourry , Park Avenue Armory Talk - Luncheon Series, New York City, U.S. Fubiz Talk, Le rendez-vous de la créativité, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
- 2016
Mapping Memory CUNY University , New York, U.S. Designing a Museum for the Future, Aurora Museum, Shanghai, China
- 2014
Art et Société : L’imaginaire peut-il influer sur la réalité ? , with Sophie Makariou (Director of the Musée Guimet), Christophe Guiloto (Sociologist) and Madgda Danysz (Gallerist), Le Centquatre, Paris, France Terracotta Daughters, Discussion with Chien Chung (Didi) Pei, Alliance Française - Institut Français, New York, U.S.
- 2010
Holy Daughters - Sex Selective Abortions in India , with sociologist Ravinder Kaurand art advisor and curator Alka Pande, India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India The Emergence of Contemporary Indian Art, with Christine Ithubide, contemporary art researcher , Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, France
- 2009
Interview-Conference , moderated by Professor-Researcher Malvika Maheshwari, Sciences Po, Paris, France Conference moderated by Sonia Brunel, lecturer at the Musée National, Auditorium du Louvre, Paris, France
- 2008
How we draw the borderline between humans and animals: Challenging art experiments with hybrid pet babies , hosted by sociologist Noriko Nijiima, University of Tokyo, Japan
- 2007
Interview-Conference, hosted by Professor Gérard Rodach, Sciences Po, Paris, France
Collection
- Collection publique
Artothèque - Bibliothèque municipale de la Part-Dieu - Lyon, France
Artothèque - Bibliothèque municipale de Grenoble - Grenoble, France
Bibliothèque nationale de France - Paris, France
Museo Diego Rivera – Anahuacalli - Mexico City , Mexico
Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet - Paris, France - Collection privée
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche - Paris, France
Maison Bernardaud - Limoges , France
Maria Buchinger Foundation - Überlingen, Germany
The Invisible Dog Art Center - Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Nominations
- 2018
Nomination to the Order of Commander of Arts and Letters , Ministère de la culture et de la communication, France