Bernard Faucon
Encyclopedia
Bernard Faucon is a French photographer and writer.
Faucon was born in Apt
, in Provence
, southern France
. He was taught at the lycée in Apt, then graduated in Philosophy
from the Sorbonne
in 1973. Until 1977 he worked as a fine art painter, and thereafter discovered photography. His photographic work has a love of youth and dreamy beauty, using saturated colour, natural settings, rooms and often tableaux of mannequin
s. His work has been compared to that of Jan Saudek
. His major photographic series are, in date-order: Les Grandes Vacances (1977–1981); Evolution probable du Temps (1981–1984); Les Chambre d'amour (1987–1989); Les Idoles et les Sacrifices (1989–1991); Les Ecritures (1991–1993); and La Fin de L'image (1993–1995).
He has won numerous awards from his work, including the Grand Prix National (1989), and the Prix Leonard de Vinci (1991). Since 1977 he has had nearly 300 solo exhibitions, included Les Rencontres d'Arles (France) in 2009, but he decided to cease photography in 1997. In 1999 he produced his first book of writing.
The mannequins used in his work are now at the Nanasai Company Collection, in Kyoto
, Japan
. In 2002, the Moscow House of Photography
held a Bernard Faucon Festival, and he was invited to officially open the Moscow Biennale. He is currently represented by the French agency Agence Vu, and is preparing for a major retrospective exhibition in Japan.
or Japan
; the most recent and most available retrospective is Jours d'Image, 1977-1995. Most of his books are out-of-print and command high prices on the collector's market.
Bernard Faucon: Fables (1992. Dir: Jean Real. 44 minute film.)
. The Illuminations of Bernard Faucon (IN: The Georgia Review
, Winter 2002).
. The sketch series follows the adventures of the Fuccons, an American family living in Japan, with all the characters played by mannequins.
Faucon was born in Apt
Apt, Vaucluse
Apt is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the left bank of the Calavon, east of Avignon...
, in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was taught at the lycée in Apt, then graduated in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in 1973. Until 1977 he worked as a fine art painter, and thereafter discovered photography. His photographic work has a love of youth and dreamy beauty, using saturated colour, natural settings, rooms and often tableaux of mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
s. His work has been compared to that of Jan Saudek
Jan Saudek
Jan Saudek is a Czech art photographer.- Life :Saudek's father was a Jew and the family was therefore persecuted by Germans. Many of his family members died in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II. Jan and his brother Karel were held in a children's concentration camp located...
. His major photographic series are, in date-order: Les Grandes Vacances (1977–1981); Evolution probable du Temps (1981–1984); Les Chambre d'amour (1987–1989); Les Idoles et les Sacrifices (1989–1991); Les Ecritures (1991–1993); and La Fin de L'image (1993–1995).
He has won numerous awards from his work, including the Grand Prix National (1989), and the Prix Leonard de Vinci (1991). Since 1977 he has had nearly 300 solo exhibitions, included Les Rencontres d'Arles (France) in 2009, but he decided to cease photography in 1997. In 1999 he produced his first book of writing.
The mannequins used in his work are now at the Nanasai Company Collection, in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In 2002, the Moscow House of Photography
Moscow House of Photography
Moscow House of Photography is a Russian museum, which maintains a large collection of old and contemporary Russian photographic masterpieces and also organizes festivals and large scale projects....
held a Bernard Faucon Festival, and he was invited to officially open the Moscow Biennale. He is currently represented by the French agency Agence Vu, and is preparing for a major retrospective exhibition in Japan.
Books and Films
Almost all of his books have been published in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
or Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; the most recent and most available retrospective is Jours d'Image, 1977-1995. Most of his books are out-of-print and command high prices on the collector's market.
Bernard Faucon: Fables (1992. Dir: Jean Real. 44 minute film.)
Critical essays
Guy DavenportGuy Davenport
Guy Mattison Davenport was an American writer, translator, illustrator, painter, intellectual, and teacher.-Life:...
. The Illuminations of Bernard Faucon (IN: The Georgia Review
The Georgia Review
The Georgia Review is an award-winning, nationally respected literary journal founded in 1947 that includes poetry, art, fiction, essays and reviews. It won the National Magazine Award for Fiction in 1986 and the National Magazine Award for Essay in 2007...
, Winter 2002).
Influence
Bernard Faucon's photographs inspired the Japanese television comedy Oh! MikeyOH! Mikey
The Fuccons, known in Japan as Oh! Mikey , is a series of Japanese comedy sketches created by Yoshimasa Ishibashi featuring a family of Americans living in metropolitan Japan...
. The sketch series follows the adventures of the Fuccons, an American family living in Japan, with all the characters played by mannequins.