Sacha Sosno
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Joseph Sosnowsky, (born 1937), better known by his name Sacha Sosno, is an internationally renowned French sculptor and painter. Working most of the time in Nice
, in the last decades he has achieved international recognition for his monumental outdoor sculptures in Côte d'Azur, France. He is a part of the New Realist (Nouveau réalisme) movement with the greats: Yves Klein
, Arman
and Cesar
. Sosno has a singular artistic approach: the concept of obliteration. His sculptures are masked by empty or full space, inviting the viewer to use his own imagination.
but stopped in 1956. In 1958 he studied in Paris (political science & oriental languages), followed courses at the Law Faculty and at the Cinema Institute at the Sorbonne
. In 1961 went back to Nice and founded the magazine Sud Communications (Southern Communication) where he published his first theory of the "School of Nice". Shortly afterwards, he started his long friendship with Martial Raysse
. In the 60s after Military service in Toulouse and work in the press as a war reporter in Ireland, Bangladesh
and Biafra
Sacha Sosno returned to painting. In 1974 he sold his art studio in Paris to cross the Atlantic by sailboat
. Three years later returned to France to make his first sculpture: obliterated cars. In 1983 - important one-man show at the Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret in Nice. The year to follow - first one-man show in the United States at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut
. The Galerie Beaubourg in Paris commissioned one of his works in 1986. 1986–1988: Developed several projects which associates sculpture and architecture, e.g. Hotel Elysée Palace with architect Georges Margarita, a 28-meter high work, including a 19-meter high bronze and 420 tons of granite. 1989–1990: Four one-man shows in the U.S.: Miami, West Palm Beach, Sarasota and Tampa. In the 90s he set up his workshop on the heights of Nice where he plants vines and olive trees. In the last decades many important international exhibitions were held in France, Russia, China and Italy. His most recognizable work is "Tête Carrée" (square head building) library in Nice, France in 2001 with architectures: Yves Bayard, Francis Chapus.
His pieces frequently display either the absence of material or an obstructing addition. For example in Tete aux quatre vents femme Sosno removes sections of the bronze work, leaving holes where the face, ears and back of the head ought to be. This requires the audience to use its imagination
in constructing the full image. Sacha Sosno's creative work is self sufficient, soaring and martial, cultural, a protest.
. He believes architecture must be imbued with the artistic.
In 2000 Sosno started to work on "Tête carrée" (The Square Head), a 26-meter high monumental sculpture - the Central Library
in Nice with architects Yves Bayard and Francis Chapuis, financed by the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Council, the County Council and the City of Nice. One year later the installation of the aluminium
structure began. In 2002 the first monumental inhabited sculpture in the world, the first construction entirely in aluminium, the first building shaped and raised thanks to naval techniques was finished. It is now one of the sightseeing's in Nice, capital city of the Alpes-Maritimes
department in France.
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, in the last decades he has achieved international recognition for his monumental outdoor sculptures in Côte d'Azur, France. He is a part of the New Realist (Nouveau réalisme) movement with the greats: Yves Klein
Yves Klein
Yves Klein was a French artist considered an important figure in post-war European art. He is the leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau réalisme founded in 1960 by the art critic Pierre Restany...
, Arman
Arman
Arman was a French-born American artist. Born Armand Pierre Fernandez in Nice, France, Arman is a painter who moved from using the objects as paintbrushes to using them as the painting itself...
and Cesar
César Baldaccini
César Baldaccini , usually called César was a noted French sculptor.César was at the forefront of the Nouveau Réalisme movement with his radical compressions , expansions , and fantastic representations of animals and insects.- Biography :He...
. Sosno has a singular artistic approach: the concept of obliteration. His sculptures are masked by empty or full space, inviting the viewer to use his own imagination.
Biography
Sosno was born in Marseilles. His father was Estonian and mother from France. Sosno spend his childhood in Riga (Latvia). During World War II his family manage to escape to Switzerland and later to France. Sacha began painting in 1948 when he was inspired by his neighbour Henri MatisseHenri Matisse
Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
but stopped in 1956. In 1958 he studied in Paris (political science & oriental languages), followed courses at the Law Faculty and at the Cinema Institute at 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 1961 went back to Nice and founded the magazine Sud Communications (Southern Communication) where he published his first theory of the "School of Nice". Shortly afterwards, he started his long friendship with Martial Raysse
Martial Raysse
Martial Raysse is a French artist born in Golfe-Juan on 12 February 1936. He lives in Issigeac - France.-Biography: Raysse was born in a ceramicist family in Vallauris and began to paint and write poetry at age 12. After studying and practising athleticism at a high level, he began to accumulate...
. In the 60s after Military service in Toulouse and work in the press as a war reporter in Ireland, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
Sacha Sosno returned to painting. In 1974 he sold his art studio in Paris to cross the Atlantic by sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
. Three years later returned to France to make his first sculpture: obliterated cars. In 1983 - important one-man show at the Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret in Nice. The year to follow - first one-man show in the United States at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
. The Galerie Beaubourg in Paris commissioned one of his works in 1986. 1986–1988: Developed several projects which associates sculpture and architecture, e.g. Hotel Elysée Palace with architect Georges Margarita, a 28-meter high work, including a 19-meter high bronze and 420 tons of granite. 1989–1990: Four one-man shows in the U.S.: Miami, West Palm Beach, Sarasota and Tampa. In the 90s he set up his workshop on the heights of Nice where he plants vines and olive trees. In the last decades many important international exhibitions were held in France, Russia, China and Italy. His most recognizable work is "Tête Carrée" (square head building) library in Nice, France in 2001 with architectures: Yves Bayard, Francis Chapus.
Style
Sosno's work has been termed l'art d'oblitér or the ‘art of obliteration’ as a result of his idiosyncratic voids or solids added to an artwork, which obliterate or distort the full picture or figure. Thus giving the viewer the task of imagining what is absent: "I only do 50% of the work; other people have to finish creating the sculpture".His pieces frequently display either the absence of material or an obstructing addition. For example in Tete aux quatre vents femme Sosno removes sections of the bronze work, leaving holes where the face, ears and back of the head ought to be. This requires the audience to use its imagination
Imagination
Imagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
in constructing the full image. Sacha Sosno's creative work is self sufficient, soaring and martial, cultural, a protest.
Architecture (Inhabited sculpture)
Sosno has a passion for architectureArchitecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. He believes architecture must be imbued with the artistic.
In 2000 Sosno started to work on "Tête carrée" (The Square Head), a 26-meter high monumental sculpture - the Central Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
in Nice with architects Yves Bayard and Francis Chapuis, financed by the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Council, the County Council and the City of Nice. One year later the installation of the aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
structure began. In 2002 the first monumental inhabited sculpture in the world, the first construction entirely in aluminium, the first building shaped and raised thanks to naval techniques was finished. It is now one of the sightseeing's in Nice, capital city of the Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
department in France.
Recent exhibitions
- Galerie Le Violon Bleu, (Tunis, Sidi Bou Saïd, Tunisie), 2007
- Hôpital Princesse Grace (Monaco), 2008
- Exposition Mail-art 2008 "A demain" Paris, France, 2008
- Quartier Carros (Nice), 2009
- Eco Art Parade - Juillet – Monaco, 2009
- Exposition extérieures (Roquebrune Cap-Martin), 2011
- Franchement Art (Citadelle de Villefranche-sur-Mer), 2011