Richard Texier is a French painter and sculptor born in Niort

Niort

Niort is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.The Latin name of the city was Novioritum.The population of Niort is 60,486 and more than 137,000 people live in the urban area....

 in 1955.

Biography

1955: Birth in Niort France on the Atlantic coast, these childhood landscapes have always profoundly marked his work as an artist.

1973-1982: Painting since the age of 12, he is passioned by the Surrealist school.
He arrives in Paris to study architecture and present his thesis. Construction based on nature; close to the land art movement.
Jean Degottex is one of the judges at his thesis presentation.
He visits New York beginning a nomadic practice of traveling which has never ceased.
He begins working on the first elements of Jardin de Lune, which he is still working on today.
He creates conceptual follow-up works such as Relevé de lune, Relevé en place, Lieu bleu and Enregistrement Lunaire.
A series of Calendriers Lunaires one of the starting points of his work are exposed at the FIAC Paris. The Pompidou Center commissions three films on the subject of Artist Propaganda.
The essence of his four years of research are presented in his highly praised presentation for a doctorate in Plastic Arts: Lune, l'autre et le paysage.

1983-1987: Several New York exhibitions:follow-ups of Sentini and Sacre Bosco.
He moves to the Butte Aux Cailles in Paris where he still lives and works today. He establishes a personal cosmography in relation to ancient astronomical schematics. He has his first traveling exhibition in four French museums; Pierre Restany and Peter Frank write the catalog.

1989: From this date Texier travels extensively. He exposes at the Chateau de Jau and the Ciento gallery in Barcelona. His tapestry collection entitled La Suite des Droits de l'Homme enjoys a wide public success, they are exposed at the Bastille Opera, the French National Assembly and the Arche
de la Defence. They now travel the world today.

1990-1991: Exposes at L'Abbaye aux Dames and then in Paris at the Bernard Davignon gallery, Hadrien Thomas gallery and at Artcurial, followed by exhibitions in Japan, Belgium and the USA.
He invests in a disused warehouse on the Quai de la Gare in Paris and produces twenty large paintings now exposed in the Museum of Angers, France. A book on the subject is published the following year by Marie Del Moral: edited by Aaltus Cassendi.

1992-1993: A year of travel. He works at the Moscow House of Culture and realises a series of thirty six paintings presented for the inauguration of the Moscow Contemporary Art Center and after at the Botanical Museum of Brussels Belgium. He has his first Parisian sculpture exhibition at the Hadrien-Thomas gallery, as well as an exhibition in Japan and a retrospective at the Chateau d'Amboise. He resides at the Manufacture des Oeillets to conceive a series of large paintings: Le Continent de l'Ange.

1994-1995: Exhibitions in Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Taipei and at the Chateau de Chambord.
Realization of mural works with evocative titles such as L'invention du monde, Machine à éclipses
Mécaniques à lorgner. Many exhibitions across Europe. The French State commission another three
tapestries, La Petite Suite Astronomique. Publication of an important monography signed by Patrick Grainville for éditions de la Difference.

1996-1997: The National Museum of Taiwan exposes 150 works. His sculptural work is presented at the Manufacture des Oeillets and a publication follows, éditions Le temps qu'il fait.
La Suite des Droits de L'Homme is presented at the Musee de Luxembourg, Paris.
A monumental sculpture, Les Outils du Navigateur is commissioned for the site of the Corderie Royale at Rochefort sur Mer. The work, le Centre, le Cercle et la Périphérie is made for the mediatheque in Poitiers, France. Exhibitions follow at the Reflex gallery Amsterdam and the Tessa Herold gallery in Paris. A catalog of engraved works is published by éditions Somorgy. Texier works at the immense naval shipyard of Ponant in La Rochelle.

1998: The Naval Museum in Paris exposes 160 works. Texier resides in a workshop at the Villa HAS A SON IN OJAI

2007: Exhibition at the Grand Palais, Paris with the San Carlos gallery, Milan Italy.
More mythological animals for DAUM.
Exhibitions at Alisan Fine Art gallery Hong Kong China and the San Carlos gallery Milan Italy.

2008-2009: Creation of several monumental bronze sculptures. Exhibitions at M Artcenter Shanghai China and at the Grand Palais, Paris France with the San Carlo gallery Milan Italy.

The Atlantic coast, the childhood territory of Richard Texier has always deeply influenced his work. This work evokes a dreamlike limitless universe, and expresses the difficulty of each of us to find ones true place in the immense complexity of the world. He perpetuates the work of the first astronomers in a more poetic than scientific context. Through Texiers' elliptical diagrams and celestial mechanics we clearly see the concentration of an important source of his iconographic inspiration.

Three Major tendances

Three major tendances or themes structure the work of Richard Texier: Hybridization, the conquest of the skies, the quest of identity.

Hybridization

Hybridization is a salutary quest for humanity. Richard Texiers' inspiration to imagine mythological animals echoes that of all the great civilizations from Ancient Greece, Pre-Columbian America, and the China of the emperors, to that of the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. All of these cultures created mythological animals, Demigods, Protectors and Inspirers to help alleviate the problems of common mortals.
Today we experience the hybridization of ideas, of knowledge, of territories, as well as that of people and cultures.
Richard Texier celebrates this great world movement through his works :Bionics, Hybrids, Generis.

Conquest of the skies

The conquest of the skies began when man first contemplated the stars in the night sky.
Ptolemy, Sacro Bosco, Galileo, Apianus, Copernic, Kepler and Einstein all constitute steps in the great ladder which would one day allow humanity to explore the cosmos. Richard Texier explores the vast perspective of this subject through his works :Theoria Sacra, Instrumento, Mechanic Circus.

The quest of identity

The quest of identity : who are we? where do we come from? What is our soul?
Where do we belong? In a tribe? A group or a nation?
Each individual asks existential questions and orders life in relation to the replies to their questions.
But what is our relationship with others, and our perception of strangers?
These essential questions for our mutual coexistence are approached by Richard Texier through his Pocket films and his generic work: Homo Mudo.

Text by Patrick Grainville

Extract: Richard Texier – éditions La Difference 1994.
“ On the limitless background of paintings, Texier traces precise continents, subtly dislocated, with immaculate shores either smooth or rugged; red or black. They extend or float like calm currents of color or portray groups of rugged volcanic matter. The sea endlessly slides and fashions continents through contemplation and mirage. It is this equity of the sea which attracts and eases by its rhythm, its tides and its collection of monsters. The sea is the basis of the law of the world, an unmeasurable and never ending matrix.
All the work of Richard Texier unveils what should be the adventure of the open space. His work inspires the temptation to seize an axis, take a direction and measure immensity itself, and not for the goal of reducing and taming this concept but to better understand its majesty, to feel and grasp the emotion of a limitless respiration.”

Text by Eric Orsenna

Extract: Les outils du navigateur- éditions Le temps qu'il fait 1998 .
“ Richard Texier, the pope of geography, the pope of cardinal points, who also happens to be my neighbor. From just two streets away I can feel the swell of his perpetual tide. Thanks to him I am changed into a ship ready for adventure.
Go far, go frantically, go peacefully. Richard Texier takes care of everything, from the creation of new worlds to the instruments which prevent us from getting too lost.”

Text by Kenneth White

Extract: Codex Oceanicus- éditions RLD 1999.
“ When speaking of “open systems” I also think of artistic work, and when speaking of “energy fields” I speak of painting. Very precisely the kind of painting by Richard Texier, my trusty beach traveling companion. A painting by Texier, to use his own words, is an energy field situated somewhere outside our too human psychology with its endless series of symptoms and fantasies, its rantings and ravings and its symbolism and imagination.
Just look at his passage through these energy fields and the care he takes never to lose the north.
In so many of his paintings the word “north” is actually written. To paint, is to write as well, its to advance slowly by trial and error into an unknown space.”

Text by Jean-Claude Carrière

Extract: Richard Texier- Cinq grandes sculptures en bronze au Grand Palais-éditions Tessa Herold 2006.
“All I find again and again in the creatures of Richard Texier is the recognition of my outpourings,
my supports and my rainbows. Too many people and even too many artists comply to the call of narrowness. Texier only replies to the call of the open sea. I don't even have to ask myself what these bronzes have to tell me, or what noises or prophesies emanate from their beaks or trunks. They are simply there, and that's enough. They are part of the great family of metamorphosis, they live in the world and they are as old as change itself. Like all legitimate myths they tell me who I am, where I come from and what I'm doing here. More importantly they also tell me who I'm not, what I'm hiding, and the form which secretly threatens me and which I could so easily become.”

Publications by Richard Texier

1979 Constructions d'apres nature, a work in three parts edited with the participation of the National Center for Contemporary Art, Paris France. 144 pages

1981 Lune, l'autre le paysage, a publication in three periods.
1.Research and technical approach to landscape.
2.Precise verified astronomy and representation of the lunar cycle.
3.Presentation of various attitudes, installations, and representations in landscape.
Paris France 240 pages

1983 Petit Précis Cosmographique, a collection composed of 12 celestial diagrams, limited edition of 100 copies. Paris France 12 pages

Monographs and books on Richard Texier

1982 Richard Texier, Peintures sur Ingres, texts by Michel Butor and Jan-Laurens Siesling, ed Rotor. Paris 116 pages

1983 Richard Texier Mutus Luner, texts by Sherry Barbier and Jean Luc Chalumeau, ed Simon Chaput New York USA 56 pages in English

1986 Richard Texier, Jardin de lune, texts by Dominique Clement and Richard Texier, portfolio concerning a fictive astronomical garden, ed Projet Poitiers France 24 pages in French/English

1989 Richard Texier, ou le droit d'epave, text by Denis Montebello ed Le temps qu'il fait Cognac France 72 pages, accompanied by a boxed limited edition of 65 copies with an original engraving by the artist.
Les Tapisseries des Droits de l'Homme, a work by Richard Texier, text by Jean-Noel Jeanneney
ed Mutuelle des instituteurs de France Niort France 90 pages

1990 Richard Texier Paintings 1989-1990, texts by Christine Buci- Gluckmann, Philippe Carteron, Michel Cassé

Michel Cassé

Michel Cassé, is a French astrophysicist, writer and poet born in Fleurance in Gers in 1943. He works at CEA , and at French National Centre for Scientific Research and specializes nucleosynthesis and quantum mechanics.- Publications :* Stellar Alchemy: The Celestial Origin of Atoms, 2003 with...

, and Michel Ricci, ed Aaltus Cassendi Paris France 144 pages in French/English

1991 Richard Texier, text and photos by Jean-Maris Del Moral, ed Aaltus Cassendi Paris France 168 pages in French/English

1993 Richard Texier from 1982 to 1993, text by Jean-Marie Laclavetine, photos by Thierry Girard ed du cygne Amboise France 144 pages in French/English

1995 Richard Texier Monograph, text by Patrick Grainville, interview of Richard Texier by Gérard de Cortanze ed La Difference Paris France 355 pages

1996 Richard Texier, Les Dieux de la Nuit, text by Jean-Marie Laclavetine ed Le temps qu'il fait Cognac France 104 pages, accompanied by a limited edition of 33 copies with an original engraving by the artist, La Conjunction des systèmes

1997 Richard Texier, La clé du monde, volume one of an annotated catalog, texts by Pascal Bonafoux and Gérard de Cortanze, ed Somogy Paris France 160 pages in French/English, accompanied by a limited edition of 47 copies with an original engraving by the artist, La Danse du monde

1998 Richard Texier, les Outils du navigateur, text by Emmanuel de Fontanieu with a preface by Eric Orsenna, ed Le Temps qu'il fait, Cognac France 80 pages
Richard Texier, Le Centre , le cercle et la peripherie, text by Jean-Pierre Verdet ed Le Temps qu'il fait Cognac France 144 pages

1999 Richard Texier, Monographie rééditée, text by Patrick Grainville, interview of Richard Texier by Gérard de Contanze, ed La Difference Paris France 410 pages
Richard Texier at the Villa Nouailles texts by Francois Carrassan and Daniel Dobbels, ed Plume Flammarion Paris France 112 pages in French/English

2000 Richard Texier, Latitude Atlantique, monograph, text by Kenneth White, ed Palatines Quimper France 160 pages

2001 Richard Texier, Latitudes Atlantique, monograph reedited, ed Palatines Quimper France in French/English 100 pages

2004 Richard Texier, Monograph, text by Daniel Pennac, ed Flammarion Paris France 384 pages

2006 Richard Texier, La Route du levant, annotated catalog of engravings, text by Gérard de Contanze ed Somogy Paris France 320 pages in French/English accompanied by a limited edition of 110 copies with an original engraving by the artist Hélio and Séleno

2008 Richard Texier, Theoria Sacra, text by Philippe Le Guillou, ed Le temps qu'il fait Cognac France 44 pages

Exhibition Catalogs

1980 Peintures de Richard Texier, text by Francois Wehrlin, Maison de la culture Orleans France 16 pages

1981 Richard Texier, text by Laurent Méric, ed Simon Chaput New York USA 20 pages

1982 Richard Texier, Oeuvres Lunaires, text by Luc-Francois Granier, ed Aport Galerie Claudine Bréguet Paris France 24 pages in French/English

1983 Richard Texier, Peintures 1983, fold paper edited for the exhibition at the Michal warehouse, interview with Kenneth Walter, ed Graphic Paris France

1984 Moon man Lands in New York, exhibition space Simon Chaput, New York USA in English

1985 Richard Texier, Codex Mira, texts by Peter Frank, Christian Gendron and Pierre Restany a co publication with the French Ministry of Culture, the Artistic Creation Center, and the Museum of Niort, France, 80 pages in French/English
Richard Texier, Paintings, text by Peter Frank, Kouros Gallery New York USA 6 pages in English

1986 Richard Texier, Paintings supplement to the catalog Codex Mira 6 pages
Richard Texier, Rugs and Works on paper, text by Patrick Steede, Gallery of Applied Arts New York USA 6 pages in English

1987 El Contintente de la Peonza, texts by Thierry Guinhut, Karl Inderberg, Andrzej Turowski, and photos by Jean-Marie del Moral, Museum of Gijon Spain 104 pages in French/Spanish

1988 Richard Texier Peintures 1988, text by Bertrand Gibert, Léa Gredt Gallery Luxembourg 40 pages

1989 Richard Texier Peintures 1988-1989, text by Frank-Andre Jamme, ed Aaltus Cassendi Paris France 80 pages
La Suite des droits de l'Homme, text by Jacques Fadat interview with Sylvie Boulanger and Christian Gendron, Aubusson France 48 pages

1990 Richard Texier, Episode. A rebours, Bernard-Davignon Gallery Paris France 12 pages in French/English

1991 Richard Texier, Bitumes 1990-1991 text by Michl Enrici, Bernard-Davignon Gallery Paris France

1992 Richard Texier, Sculptures, fold paper edited for the Hadrien-Thomas gallery Paris France
the first document on sculptures made especially for the FIAC Paris.
Richard Texier Mockba 92, texts by Leonid Bajanov, Victor Miziano and Michel Lunneau, Exhibition Center of Russia/ Michel Lunneau Gallery Brussels, 32 pages in French/Russian

1993 Richard Texier Gravures-Etchings, fold paper, ed Simon Chaput New York USA 31 engravings text in French/English
Richard Texier, Moscou 92, texts by Catherine de Brackelaere, Leonid Bajanov and Stephane Penxten (text and interview) Botanical Museum Brussels Belgium 144 pages in French/English

1994 Richard Texier, Sculptures, text by Jean-Louis Giovannoni, ed Du Cinq Paris France 40 pages

1996 Richard Texier, Peintures récentes, text by L.Besancon Virus Gallery Antwerp Belgium
Les Tapisseries des Droits de l'Homme, texts by Jacques Chirac President of the French Republic, René Monory, Jean Kahn, Philippe Henri Morbach and Hervé Coulaud, ed National Committee of Aubusson Tapestries, France 60 pages in French/English

1997 Richard Texier, De la conjunction des sytémes au partage des eaux, texts by Emmanuel Guigon and Valerie Bertrand, Tessa Herold Gallery Paris France 80 pages

1998 Richard Texier Oeuvres récentes, text by Claire Poinas, ed J.Bastien Gallery 24 pages in French/Dutch

2001 Homo Stella, The new system of the world, text by Alexandre Grenier, Tessa Herold Gallery Paris France 64 pages

2003 Les Iles de la destinée, text by Serge Raffy, Tessa Herold Gallery Paris France 80 pages

2004 Nomadic residencies, fold paper, Number D Gallery Shanghai China in English
Richard Texier, l'arpenteur des reves, interview with Henri Jobbé-Duval, texts by Gérard Barrière and Francoise Marquet, Connaissance des Arts Paris France 34 pages

2005 Richard Texier; l'Ouest Celeste, text by Zao Wou-Ki, Museum of fine Art Shanghai China 176 pages in Chinese/English
Richard Texier, Territoires et Animaux mythiques, text by Francoise Marquet and Daniel Pennac, J. Bastien Gallery 16 pages

2006 Richard Texier, Cinq grandes sculptures en bronze au Grand Palais, fold paper, text by Jean-Claude Carriére, Thessa Herold Gallery Paris France for ART PARIS
Richard Texier, Animaux Mythiques, Number D gallery Shanghai China 16 pages

2007 Chinese nautical Charts, texts by Zao Wou-Ki and Alice King, Alisan Fine Arts Gallery Hong Kong China 44 pages in English/Chinese
Operi recente, text by Martin Corgnati, Galleria San Carlo Milan Italy 76 pages in Italian
Richard Texier Soleil au Nord, text by Jean-Maris Laclavantine, ed Le Temps qu'il fait Cognac France 80 pages

2008 Richard Texier, Nouvelle collection Daum, text by Guillaume Morel, ed Connaissance des Arts Paris France, special edition, 42 pages in French/English
Richard Texier-Créatures Mythiques, texts by Zao Wou-Ki, Daniel Pennac, Richard Texier, M Art Center Shanghai China 182 pages in French/Chinese
Richard Texier, Oeuvres recentes, interview with Henri Jobbé-Duval, ed Beaux Arts, special edition 42 pages

Illustrated Books

1988 C'est comme ca, by Georges Godeau with a drawing on the cover page, ed Le Dé Bleu France

1989 La Dance suivi de debris reconstruits de Lokenath Bhattacharya, French version by Franck-Andre Jamme, with an original painting on all 24 copies, ed Festina Lente Paris France
Les Chambres de l'oeil, by Franck-Andre Jamme, with an original painting on all 24 copies, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France

1990 Bois de Lune, by Franck-André Jamme with 2 engravings in a limited edition of 50 copies, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France
Une petite affaire un peu spirituelle, by Franck-André Jamme, with an original painting on all 24 copies, ed SLM Paris France

1991 Trois fois rien, by Richard Texier, with 3 sketches ,ed Encore Paris France 84 copies

1992 Pas Japonais, by Jean-Louis Giovannoni, with an original painting on 11 copies and an engraving on 33 examples from a limited edition, ed Unes Le Muy France
Sept pas, by Richard Texier, with a series of painted sketches on 24 copies, ed Fakir Press Paris France
Le roi du Bois, by Pierre Michon, with an original painting on 12 copies and 3 engravings on 24 copies on a limited edition, ed Infernales Paris France

1994 Nicolas de Stael, text by André du Bouchet, photos by Denise colomb with an original painting by Richard Texier, ed Au Fil de l'Encre 20 copies

1996 L'Horizon est plus grand, text by Patrick Deville, with a lithographed cover on canvas and 8 lithographed-monotypes by Richard Texier, , ed Le Petit Jaunais Nantes France 21 copies
Le Navire Poulpe, text by Gilbert Lascault, portfolio with a lithographed cover and 7 lithographs by Richard Texier,, ed Le Petit Jaunais Nantes France 27 copies

1998 Traité des possibles, text by Zeno Bianu, with 64 ink drawings by Richard Texier
The original edition comprises 640 copies with 32 copies on vellum with an original drawing by Richard Texier, the other 608 copies are on laid ivory paper, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France
Se noyer en eau sèche, text by Salah Stetié, with 7 etchings by Richard Texier, ed RLD Paris France 80 copies

1999 Codex Océanicus, text by Kenneth White, with 7 etchings by Richard Texier ed RLD Paris France 75 copies
Figures du refus, text by Cédric Demangeot, with 9 ink drawings by Richard Texier
The original edition comprises 400 copies of which 13 are numbered with a special cover and an original drawing, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France
Reves, text by Ernst Junger, with 23 ink drawings by Richard Texier for a laid paper limited edition of 900 copies, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France

2000 Nu de la fin du jour, text by Lokenath Bhattacharya, with 12 sketches by Richard Texier, the original edition consists of 600 copies on laid paper, ed Fata Morgana St Clement France

2001 Ex-Voto etchings by Richard Texier, ed RLD Paris France 112 copies
Fugue, texts by Zeno Bianu, with 2 etchings by Richard Texier, ed Maeght Paris France 120 copies
Le temps qu'il fait, 20th anniversary special edition catalog, with an engraving by Richard Texier
Atlantic Latitude, re-edition of the monograph on Richard Texier by Kenneth White with an original engraving, ed Palatines Quimper France 66 copies

2002 Pierre Ouverte, text by Zeno Bianu, with 3 etchings and a holed stone by Richard Texier, ed RLD Paris France 88 copies
Exercise d'aimantation, text by Zeno Bianu, with 3 ink drawings by Richard Texier, ed Les petits classiques du grand pirate France 450 copies with 30 including an engravings

2003 In Situ, with 6 etchings by Richard Texier, ed RLD 105 copies
Une boiteille à la mer, text by Gérard Macé, with 3 engravings by Richard Texier, ed Serendip Paris France 75 copies

2004 Patrouilleur d'etoiles, text by Jean-Louis Foulquier, with 4 engravings by Richard Texier, ed Les Francofolies France55 copies
La Routes des terres chaudes, text by Jean-Marie Laclavetine, with 6 original paintings by Richard Texier, ed Vice Versa Paris France 7 copies

2005 Les Rougets text by André Pieyre de Mandiargues, with 2 original paintings by Richard Texier, ed Fata Morgana Paris France 15 copies

2006 L'Ouest Celeste, text by Isaelle Autissier, with 5 engravings by Richard Texier, ed Robert and Lydie Dutrou France 55 copies

Films on Richard Texier

L'Arpenteur Celeste, a film by Camille Guichard, 13 minutes 1991
Production and distribution, Terra Luna Films

External links

Texier officiel site Texier Informations