Biographical Data

Born in Paris in 1931. He lives and works in Malakoff, near Paris. After studying drawing and engraving, Bernard Rancillac “directs himself irresistibly towards painting”. He first exhibit is in Paris in 1956. He is one of the organizers, in 1964, of the exhibition Mythologies Quotidiennes in the Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris. He belongs to the Figuration Narrative movement.

Brief Chronology

From 1959 to 1961, Bernard Rancillac creates semi-abstract compositions with cloths, objects and paint, or Indian ink on tracing paper (Série noire). In 1962 he begins using comic strips for his Fantomas series. In 1963 he addresses “subjects of everyone’s life”. He inspires himself in photography, advertising, cinema, comics, and television to create very colorful drawings, aquarelles and pop paintings (Bloody Comics, 1977). In 1966 he centers his interest in current issues and creates, in his own way, historical paintings which treat political, social and humanitarian subjects. He paints “the echo of vivid emotion” using what he calls a “pictorial realism”. In May 1968 he participates actively in the Atelier Populaire of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris making posters. In the 70’s and 80’s he creates a series centered on rock groups, jazz musicians, sports, and movie actresses. At the end of the 80’s, he works on cube or pyramid shaped photographic pictures; he adds objects, creates large canvases on which he opposes the West and the East. Later, he paints many female nudes and shows his interest in political affairs (Tchétchènes, 2000).

P.L.T.

www.bernardrancillac.com
www.pallade.net

La Roue de la connaissance, 1985, Acrílic, contraplactat, roda de bicicleta i objectes, 195 x 130 cm / 76,7 x 51,1 in.