Jean Lancri was born on 24 / 12 / 1936 in Oran. He lives near Paris.
Jean Lancri is both an artist and a University Professor. As an “Agrégé de l’Université” and a Ph.D ( more properly, a “Docteur d’Etat ès letters”), he has been teaching all along his academic career in Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne University, and, for several years, he has also been the Head of his UFR (Department of Art and Sciences of Art) in the same university. He is now a Professor Emeritus of Paris1-Pantheon Sorbonne University.
Academic career:
Jean Lancri has also often been invited by many foreign universities. For many years, he has taught regular courses about art (aesthetics, philosophy of art, history of art, semiotics) mainly within the four following universities: Porto Alegre (Brazil), Santiago (Chile),Tunes (Tunisia), and Berkeley (USA).
Either as a professor or as an artist, Jean Lancri has actually been invited to teach (seminaries and lectures) in Algeria, Argentine, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Great-Britain, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, and USA. (In USA, he has been invited by the four following universities: Berkeley University, Michigan University, Oklahoma University and Yale University).
Exhibitions :
Since 1970, Jean LANCRI has shown his works in more than 50 personal exhibitions, in Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain, Lithuania, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, and USA, either in galleries or in museums; he has also often been invited in many collective shows, either in France or abroad.
Installations :
Beside his work as a painter, Jean LANCRI has set (built, settled) several installations. For instance, an installation entitled K or the Chamber for Metamorphosis, which has been exhibited (from 1980 to 1985, among other places) in the Culture House of Amiens (France), in the Bossuet Museum in Meaux (France), in the Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisboa (Portugal), and in the Pompidou Center, in Paris (France).
Performances :
Jean Lancri has also performed actions (in Brazil, Chile and France). For instance, in 1984, on June 16th, meandering in the streets of Paris and making a halt on the doorsteps of 22 Parisian art galleries, he re-enacted the “Bloomsday” as an artistic performance (i.e. the walk of Leopold Bloom, in 1904, on June 16th, in the streets of Dublin and in the pages of Ulysses, the novel by Joyce). In 1994, on June 16th, within the space of the Donguy Art Gallery (Paris), he re-enacted both Joyce’s “Bloomsday” and his action on the doorsteps of the 22 Parisian galleries, ten years earlier.
Writings :
A) Jean Lancri has published many essays in academic reviews and three books:
* « Y et K. Essai sur la peinture au risque de la lettre », Paris, Méridiens-Klincksieck, 1989. (= « Y and K. An essay on painting, notwithstanding the risk of writing about it »).
* « L’index montré du doigt. Huit plus un essais sur la surprise en peinture », Paris, L’Harmattan, 2000. (= « The forefinger singled out, at pointblank. Eight plus one essays on surprise in painting »).
* « De l’ombre chez (ou sur ?) Marcel Duchamp. Quatre-vingts notes conjointes ou ombres portées sur Etant donnés : 1) La chute d’eau 2) Le gaz d’éclairage ». Paris, APOLIS éditions, 2013. (= « The part devoted to shadow in the works of Marcel Duchamp (or: is it a shadow cast on M.D. ?). Eighty comments on Given: 1) The Waterfall. 2) The Illuminating gas.
B) Jean Lancri has also been the co-writer of two books:
* With Richard Conte et René Passeron, Jean Lancri is the author of : « Inimages ». Paris, Klincksieck, 2008.
* With Sadika Keskès and Alain Nadaud, Jean Lancri is the author of : « Paul Klee et le tapis tunisien. Aux portes de l’abstraction ». La Marsa Erriadh (Tunisie), Sa’Al éditions, 2014. (= « Paul Klee and the Tunisian carpet. On the doorstep of abstraction »). In this book, Lancri’s essay is entitled : « Inversion in Klee’s works or How, in order to pull his fate to him, Paul changed the North for the South ».
Writings on Jean Lancri’s artworks :
Several comments and essays have been published about Jean Lancri’s work as an artist (in newspapers, reviews, catalogues and books) by Assaraf (Georges), Bonnet (Eric), Breerette (Geneviève), Cohen (Jacques), Cattani (Icleia), Dobbels (Daniel), Engelbach (Claude), Fresnault-Deruelle (Pierre), Goldberg (Itzhak), Jeune (François), Kassab-Charfi (Samia), Legendre (François), Landini (Chloé), Le Sergent (Daphné), Noguez (Dominique), Mayer (Paul), Nogacki (Edmond), Paris (Jean), Roche (Maurice), Rougé (Bertrand), Sag (Jean-Pierre), Sègue (Françoise).
Personal exhibitions related to the « Cycle of Cheval riding on his Bike (i.e. on his “vélo”) » :
2018. Michel Journiac Gallery, Sorbonne School of Arts, Paris (France) : « A guest and ghost story » + performance : « Dans le limon du limen » (= « In the mire of the threshold »).
2018. Hermitage State Museum(International Educational Center), Saint-Petersburg (Russia): "When the Mailman leans his bike (VELO) on the door of Given , by Marcel Duchamp. ( Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Marcel Duchamp’s Given But Were Afraid to Ask Cheval the Mailman)”.
2017. L’Oiseau Sablier Gallery, Tréguier (France) : « Stories spun into a thread ».
2016. Ferme du Pont de Bois. Thuin (Belgium). « Those who LOVE me will ride on a VELO (= bike) ».
2015. Halle aux Grains de Saint-Junien (France). « Cycling freely: from VELO to LOVE and vice versa ».
2015. Galerie Le Hublot. Ivry-sur-Seine (France). Instalation: « Through the « O » of HUBLOT (= porthole), of LOVE and VELO (= bike) » or « I will be your mirror ».
2013. ISAM Gallery, Gabès University (Tunisia)
2013. Sadika Art Space, Gammarth (Tunisia): « A ride for freedom».
2013. Karim Tassi Gallery, Marrakech (Morocco).
2012. Castle of Tourelles. Le Plessis-Trévise (France).
2012. Nadar Gallery, Casabianca (Morocco) : « VELO/LOVE : New Fragments from the Cycle ».
2011. Popy Arvani Gallery, Paris (France) : « First steps in the simple art of murder ».
2011. French Cultural Institute, Vilnius (Lithuania).
2011. Unesco Gallery, Vilnius (Lithuania).
2011. University Gallery, Siauliai (Lithuania) : « VELO / LOVE ».
2010. Patrice Le Hir’s barbershop, Treguier (France): “When the Mailman stops at the barber’s”.
2010. Nadar Gallery, Casabianca (Morocco), « M » for « AIME » (=A pun on “M” for “Love”).
2010. Synthèse Gallery, Brussels (Belgium), « MM » or « a theater for operations ».
2009-2010. Antecedence Gallery, Thuin (Belgium), « M for ever ».
2009. Cultural Center Jacques Tati, Amiens (France).
2008. "The Facteur Cheval rides again". Lightwell Gallery, Fred Jones Jr. Museum, Oklahoma University, Norman (USA).
2008. Popy Arvani Gallery, Paris (France). « Be careful, it is my heart ».
2006. Itinerrance Gallery, Paris (France). "A Cheval, sur Dada". (= a pun, astride the words of « cheval » and « dada », involving the Facteur Cheval and Dadaism).
2005. Popy Arvani Gallery, Paris (France). "VELO VEL LOVE".
2005. Hermitage State Museum, Saint-Petersburg (Russia). “The Cycle of Cheval-à-velo: a retrospective”.
2004. Cultural Center Jacques Tati, Amiens (France).
2004. « When the mailman stops at Annie and Jean-Pierre’s”, Vanves (France).
2003. « Toutes latitudes » Gallery, Vincennes (France).
2002. French Alliance Gallery, Bahia (Brazil).
2002. Gallery 114, Kresge Art Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing (USA).
1999. Kresge Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing (USA).
1997. Centro Torreao, Porto Alegre (Brésil).
1997. Château Dampierre, Anzin-Valenciennes (France).
1996. Gallery of the Remparts, Le Mans (France).
1995. Museum of Pau (France).
1995. University of Aix-en-Provence Gallery (France).
1994. Donguy Gallery, Paris (France).
1993. French Cultural Institute, Ankara (Turkey).
1993. French Cultural Institute, Istanbul (Turkey).
1992. Synthèse Gallery, Brussels (Belgium).
Collective exhibitions related to the « Cycle of Cheval riding on his Bike (i.e. on his “Vélo”) ».
2016. National Archives. Pierrefitte-sur-Seine (France). « Dreaming about Archives : a painter’s memory ».
2016. National Library. Tunes (Tunisia). « In praise of Alain Nadaud ».
2015. Alain Nadaud Gallery. Gammarth (Tunisia). « Mirth ». Curator : Fatma Kammoun Fehri.
2015. ISAM, Siliana, Jendouba University (Tunisia). « Art in public space». Curator : Khaled Abida.
2013. “100 years, One hundred artists, One hundred works”, Art Space-General Society, Casabianca (Morocco). Curator: Mohamed Rachdi.
2010. “The part devoted to the body”. Kheireddine Palace, Tunes City Museum, Tunes (Tunisia) : Curator : Rachida Triki.
2008. "Images and Homages for Paul Mayer". Art Space Paul Mayer, Picardy University, Amiens (France).
2006. “The colors of spring”, Synthèse Gallery, Brussels (Belgium). Curator: Jacqueline Cigrang.
2006. “The well of desire”, Notre-Dame Church, Montataire (France). Curator : Mohamed Rachdi.
2006. “Saved from the zoos”, Toutes latitudes Gallery, Vincennes (France). Curator: Anne Van Der Jagt.
2003. “ Bestiary ” (Works from the collections of the Frac Picardie), Henri Matisse Space, Creil (France).
2003. “Books made by artists”, Toutes Latitudes Gallery, Vincennes (France). Curator: Anne Van Der Jagt.
1999. Instituto de Arte, Porto Alegre (Brazil).
1999. “ Lancri, Roué, Salsmann”. Contemporary Art Center of Gaillon (France). Curator : Bernard Roué.
1995. “Disparition” (Cueco, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Journiac, Lancri, Passeron, Roué, Salsmann), Congress Palace, Le Mans (France). Curator : Jean Lancri.
Lectures and performances related to the « Cycle of Cheval riding backwards on his Bike (i.e. on his “Vélo” ) ».
2014. “One stroke, two “D”: Duchamp, Derrida”. Seijo University, Tokyo (Japan). (Invited by Kenji Kitayama).
2014. “One stroke, two “D”: Duchamp, Derrida”. In the symposium “Derrida to come”, Ecole Normale Supérieure (rue d’Ulm), Paris (France). (Invited by Elise Lamy-Rested and Marc Crepon).
2013. “Love of Art / Art of Love”, ISAM, Gabès University (Tunisia). (Invited by Mohsen Zerai).
2011. “Velo / Love”. Siauliai University (Lithuania). (Invited by Vytautas Bilkucius).
2011. “First steps in the simple art of murder”. Symposium of Aesthetics and Poïetics of ATEP: “Fictionnal devices in arts”. Hammamet (Tunisia). (Invited by Rachida Triki).
2011. “The turn of the screw. (Around the « Cycle of Cheval-à-vélo » and the trouble induced by its riding)”. Symposium of Aesthetics and Philosophy about « The Trouble ». IUFM (University) of Martinique. Fort-de-France. (Invited by Dominique Berthet).
2008. "The Facteur Cheval rides again". Lightwell Gallery, Fred Jones Jr. Museum, Oklahoma University (History of Art Department), Norman (USA). (Invited by Kenneth Haltman).
2007. « L'étranger dans la langue: l'exemple de LOVE et de VELO ». International Symposium of Literature on “Books”. Tangiers (Morocco). (= “A stranger roaming around within language : the case of LOVE hidden within VELO” ). (Invited by Gustave de Staël and Mohamed Rachdi).
2006. « Jeux dans les marges et sur les margelles des Puits du Désir ». Montataire (France). (= “Playing on the margins and the curved edges of the well of desire” ). (Invited by Mohamed Rachdi).
2006. « Du Cycle considéré comme un labyrinthe », Maison de l'Amérique Latine, Paris (France). (= “About the Cycle considered as a Labyrinth”.) (Invited by Jean-Clarence Lambert).
2004. « Le Cycle de Cheval-à-Vélo : jeux et enjeux. ». National Superior School of Fine Arts, Paris (France). (= “The Cycle of Cheval-à-vélo : issues and puns” ). (Invited by Christian Gaillard).
2004. « Le Cycle de Cheval-à-Vélo : enjeux filo-zoo-fiques. ». La Manouba University, Philosophy Deparment, Tunes, (Tunisie) (= “About the filo-zoo-fical issues of the Cycle of Cheval-à-vélo”). (Invited by Rachida Triki).
2004. « COMMENT TAIRE. Fragments des Z’investigations Filo-zoo-fiques du Facteur Cheval (alias Jean Lancri) ». Valenciennes University (France). (= The title is based on a pun astride “how to hush up (TAIRE)” and “how to comment (COMMENTAIRE means “commentary”)”). (Invited by Edmond Nogacki).
2004. « Ce qu’il est resté de la nature, renversée par Klee en petits carrés bien réguliers, et foutue aux chiottes par les artistes qui vinrent après lui. » Barcelona University (Philosophy Department), Barcelona (Spain). (= “What is left from NATURE once it has been put upside down by Klee, then cut into small squares by him and put into the loo by the artists that came after him"). (Invited by Pere Salabert).
2003. “Cheval-à-Vélo : the issues of the Cycle”, Barcelona University (Philosophy Department), Barcelona (Spain). (Invited by Pere Salabert).
2002. “Cheval, the Mailman, still riding backwards on his bike”, Michigan State University (History of Art Department), East Lansing (USA). (Invited by Kenneth Haltman).
2002. « Le Cycle de Cheval-à-Vélo », Universidade Federal Da Bahia, Salvador de Bahia (Brésil). (Invited by Sandra Rey).
2001. “ On some of the issues of an action performed on 1994, June 16th, both in a Parisian gallery and within the fictional boundaries of “The Cycle of Cheval-à-vélo”: (with)drawing a diagonal line at Donguy’s Gallery”. Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne University (France). (Invited by Jean-Pierre Sag).
1999. “From a labyrinth to another”. Paris IV University, Paris (France).
1996. “The issues of the Cycle : Cheval-à-Vélo”. School of Fine Arts, Le Mans (France). (Invited by Michel Makarius).
1995. “The forefinger pointed at and pointed at pointblank” or “ From LOVE to VELO and vice versa”, Aix-en-Provence University (France). (Invited by Jean-Claude Le Gouic).
1994. “Recycling History of Art (A fragment from Cheval the Mailman’s En-cyclo-pedia)”, Valenciennes University (France). (Invited by Eric Bonnet and Edmond Nogacki).
1994. “ From LOVE to VELO and vice versa”, Poitiers University (France). (Invited by Gérard Dessons).
1993. “The Cycle of Cheval-à-Vélo (On the item Miscellany from Cheval the Mailman’s En-cyclo-pedia) ”. Montaigne University, Bordeaux (France). (Invited by Jean-Marc Lachaud).
Public collections :
Jean Lancri’s works have been acquired by the Bossuet Museum in Meaux (France), by the Picardie FRAC Museum (France), by the Salvador Allende Museum, in Santiago (Chile) and by the Hermitage State Museum in Saint-Petersburg (Russia).
Private collections:
Jean Lancri’s works have been acquired by private collectors of Belgium, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Hong-Kong, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Morocco, New-Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, Tunisia, USA.