Prune Nourry
Born in 1985 in Paris, Prune Nourry lives and works between New York and Paris. A graduate of the École Boulle in woodcarving, she is represented by Galerie Templon (Paris, Brussels) and Simon Studer Art in Switzerland.
In her projects, the artist raises ethical questions related to the notion of balance in the broadest sense: the body and healing, demographic imbalance due to sex selection and scientific aberrations, the ecosystem and interdependence between living species. Her practice combines sculpture, installation, performance and video. She collaborates with artisans, works with diverse materials and explores new techniques. The works she produces are mainly large volumes made in situ, which she destroys, buries or stages in documented rituals, through photography and video. Her projects are international and based on meetings with specialists, psychoanalysts, geneticists, anthropologists and researchers.
Prune Nourry’s work extends over different productions in time and space. In China, she created an army of women in terracotta, inspired by the warriors of Xi’an, a project she entitled Terracotta Daughters. Her «daughters» were exhibited around the world between 2013 and 2015, from Shanghai to Paris via Zurich, New York and Mexico City, before being buried in China in a secret location until 2030.
In 2018, following her breast cancer, the artist made an introspective documentary, recounting her struggle and her projects. Her film Serendipity was presented at the Berlin Film Festival, inaugurated MoMA’s Documentary Film Fortnight, then screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and as part of the Art Basel Film programme. In 2019, she will create a series of works on illness and healing entitled Catharsis, as well as the monumental installation L’Amazone Érogène, which will be exhibited at the Bon Marché Rive Gauche in 2021. She became the first French artist to be invited to exhibit in this place in the Parisian hypercentre. Then, she published her introspective book Aux Amazones, a touching and inspiring testimony that puts creation at the service of healing. Mixing autobiographical accounts and expert reflections, it brings together points of view rarely associated in a book and is addressed to women who are facing the disease, but also to those who accompany them in this fight.
In September 2021, Prune Nourry presented a solo exhibition entitled Projet Phenix at the Galerie Templon in Paris. It revives the tradition of portraiture and the intimacy between the artist and her model. Eight visually impaired people are invited to pose in her studio. Blindfolded, without ever seeing them - neither before, nor during, nor after - she undertakes to create their bust, through touching and listening. Plunged into absolute darkness, the exhibition invites visitors to live this experience in turn.
At the beginning of 2022, the artist signed the scenography of Atys, the opera-ballet created by Jean-Baptiste Lully for Louis XIV, a new version directed and choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj. The production was presented at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and then at the Opéra Royal de Versailles.
In the autumn, the artist installs at the Galerie Templon, Brussels a personal exhibition, Infinite Arrows, which is exploring the symbolics of the arrows and the geometrical shapes, in echo to the American Minimalists.
Simultaneously, Prune Nourry is finishing for Château La Coste a large eco-friendly and immersive sculpture, a pregnant woman lying on the back emerging from the ground, Mater Earth.
Lastly, a major project is unveiled at the end of 2022, undertaken in collaboration with the families of the Chibok girls and the Obafemi-Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. Titled Statues Also Breathe, it regroups a set of 108 heads sculpted in clay, inspired by the high school girls and the ancestral Ife heads, a documentary movie and a podcast, in order to raise awareness about the plight of the girls who are still missing while highlighting the global struggle for girls’ education.
Selected Exhibitions and Performances
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS
2026
Corderie Royale, Rochefort, France
2025
Galerie Templon, Paris
Projet Phenix, Fondation Bullukian, Lyon, France
2023
Prune Nourry, Musée de La Poste, Paris, France
Fauteuil d'artiste #11, La Scala - Paris, Paris, France
2022
Mater Earth, Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France
Amazone Érogène, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, 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, Nigéria
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, USA
Imbalance, specific installation in a back & foot rub, New York, USA
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, Venise, 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, USA
2011
Holy River, happening, Calcutta Arts Club, Calcutta, India
Spermbar, installation and happening, Crossing the Line Festival, New York, USA
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, USA
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
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Breasts, curatée par Carolina Pasti, Palazzo Franchetti S. Marco, Venise, Italie
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, Galerire 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, United-States
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, USA
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, USA
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, United Kingdom
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) Group Show, Polka Galerie, Paris, France
Holy Daughters, 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, USA
Aux Arts Citoyens, Espace des Blancs Manteaux, Paris, France
2004
Group Show, Galerie «M», Paris, France
Toit et Moi, Galerie La Loge, Paris, France
PROJECTS
2026
Projet Vénus, Gare Saint-Denis Pleyel, Saint-Denis, France
2023
Prune Nourry, Stamp for the 2023 art series, Musée de La Poste, Paris, France
2022
Statues Also Breathe, Obafemi-Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigéria
Scénographie de l’opéra-ballet baroque
Atys, 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.
PERFORMANCES
2018
The Amazon, Installation and performance, Hudson River and Standard Plaza Hôtel, New York, U.S.
2014
Le Dîner archéologique, Performance in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Jean-François Piège, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2013
Genesis, personnal exhibition and performance, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Le Dîner procréatif, personnal exhibition and performance, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
2011
Holy River, Performance, Calcutta Arts Club, Kolkata, India
Spermbar, Installation and performance, 5th Avenue, commissionned by L’Institut français Alliance Française (FIAF) as part of the Crossing the Line Festival New York, U.S.
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, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
2007
Adoption Day #1, Performance, Galerie Jaguar Shoes, 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, Production Praxis Films
2019
Serendipity, Documentary film directed by Prune Nourry, (74 min), writted and producted by Alastair Siddons, edited by Paul Carlin, executive producers : Angelina Jolie, Sol Guy, Darren Aronofsky, presented to the MoMA DOC Fortnight Festival, New York, U.S. ; at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale 2019), Berlin, Germany; at the Tribeca Film Festival 2019, New York, U.S.
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
COLLECTIONS
Public Collections
Artothèque - Bibliothèque municipale de la Part-Dieu, Lyon, France
Artotèque - 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
Private Collections
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.A.
Conferences and Lectures
2024
Fondation Opale, Lens, France
2022
The world is ours, Serendipity film screening and conference, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, France
Duel #2, Serendipity film screening and conference; moderators: Tatyana Franck and François Ansermet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
2019
The First Annual TIME 100 Health Summit, world leaders and prominent figures in health care discussing essential perspectives on health and wellness, New York City, USA
Metrograph Theater, Introduction of Agnes Varda’s film “Cleo from 5 to 7” by Prune Nourry, New York City, USA
2018
A conversation with Taryn Simon and Prune Nourry, Park Avenue Armory Talk, Luncheon Series, New York City, USA
Fubiz Talk, Le rendez-vous de la créativité, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
2016
Mapping Memory, Keynote Address, CUNY University The Graduate Center, New York City, USA
Preparing Tomorrow Today – designing a museum for the future, with Tatyana Franck (Director of the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne), Aurora Museum, Shanghai, China
2014
Visiting Artist Lecture, Suny New Platz, New York City, USA
Art et Société: L’imaginaire peut-il influer sur la réalité ?, (Art and Society: can imagination change the reality ?), with Sophie Makariou (Director of Musée Guimet), Christophe Guilmoto (Sociologist) and Magda Danysz (Gallerist), Paris, France
Terracotta Daughters, Discussion with Chien Chung (Didi) Pei, Chair of the Board of Trustees of China Institute, Alliance Française - Institut Français, New York, USA
2010
Holy Daughters - Sex Selective Abortions in India, with the sociologist Ravinder Kaur, moderated by Alka
Pande, art adviser and curator, India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India
The Emergence of Contemporary Indian Art, moderated by Christine Ithurbide, researcher in contemporary art,
Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, France
2009
Interview-conference, moderated by Malvika Maheshwari, Professor, Sciences Po, Paris, France
Conference, moderated by Sonia Brunel, speaker of National Museums, auditorium of the Louvre, Paris, France
2008
How we draw the borderline between humans and animals: Challenging art experiments with hybrid pet babies,
moderated by sociologist Noriko Nijiima, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
2007
Interview-conference, moderated by Professor Gérard Rodach, Sciences Po, Paris, France
Education
2006
Ecole Boulle, specialising in wood sculpture, Paris, France - Graduated with honours and AEEB prize.
NOMINATIONS
2018
Nomination to the Order of Commander of Arts and Letters , Ministère de la culture et de la communication, France
2012
Nomination for Go Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum, New York, U.S.