From June 10 to July 3 at the Cultural Space
9 Charles Dahon, Théoule-sur-Mer
THE ARTIST
Born in 1931 in La Rochelle, Jean LANIAU began his professional life at the age of 14 in the Faubourg Saint Antoine district in Paris, where woodworking, particularly in the field of style furniture, occupied the back rooms and courtyards of the surrounding streets.
In 1968, alongside his career, he decided to take evening classes in drawing and painting with Mr. Paul GIROL as well as correspondence courses offered by the ABC school with Mr. PACOUIL. Quickly, as a dedicated student, Jean LANIAU learned all the techniques of pictorial art, including drawing, wash, watercolor, and oil painting, with training based on the study of drawing and painting from a model, regardless of the subject: flower, still life, landscape…
He practiced copying the great masters (Vlaminck, Renoir, Van Gogh, etc.) and after creating several hundred of his own oil paintings inspired by various sources, he turned to engraving. Then breaking away from this technique, he passionately continued with drawing, pastel, and watercolor.
The study of the female nude particularly captivated him, and his works reveal this new attraction. It was from 1975 that he decided to take sculpture courses at the Superior School of Montparnasse with Mr. MOIRIGNOT. His previous experiences and his great aptitude for drawing quickly enabled him to master sculpture.
From 1981, he decided to dedicate himself exclusively to this art. His works were quickly exhibited, recognized, and became part of major collections. He created the bust of Marshal Juin for the city of Le Lavandou, two sculptures for the city of Biscarosse, a sculpture for the garden of the 15th arrondissement in Paris, and other works that were sent abroad.
Here in Théoule-sur-Mer, Jean LANIAU has participated in several exhibitions, and today the municipality of Théoule is offering Mr. LANIAU the opportunity to present a retrospective that includes a collection of 150 diverse works representative of the different periods of his life.
This is an exceptional event for a great artist.
