About
Michel Journiac is an emblematic artist of Body art, one of the most important movement of the twentieth century.
Michel Journiac gratuated in philosophy and theology. His complicity with Francois Pluchart, critic and theorist, helped to underline the critical and poetic nature of his art. Each of his actions is a sociological reflection, which questions and critiques the interactions the body has with society. This « art of action » opened a new way to the conceptual art. Alongside Herve Fischer and Gina Pane, he is a leading figure of the Body art, appeared in France in the sixties. Betwen 1972 and 1975, he was professor at Universite Pantheon Sorbonne then Ecole Des Beaux Arts, Versailles and Ecole Des Beaux Arts, Nancy. In 1976, Rituel Du Sang, was about contaminated blood long before the Aids epidemic. Michel Journiac is still, twenty years after his death, a source of inspiration for many artists.
Artworks
Series
The Blood Ritual Series
1976
Rituel Du Sang is one of the most emblematic series of Michel Journiac composed of seven images of hands wrapped in blood stained cloth, dealing poetically and politically with contaminated blood long before the AIDS epidemic. This series of photographic transfers on canvas is part of a broader reflection on the function of rituals in the sense of belonging to a group. In the 80s and 90s, the contaminated blood scandal affected several countries due to infections linked to blood transfusions. It particularly affected France, with its damning revelations, non existent politicians, non efficient decisions, medical malfunctions... Many hospitalized and hemophiliac patients were contaminated by the newly discovered HIV virus. The affair lasted from 1993 to 2003, and is considered the first major health crisis in France. As Michel Journiac said « The contaminated blood trial is not just the trial of doctors. It is also the trial of a liberal structure which wants to make blood profitable at all costs. »
In 1992, he began a series of multidisciplinary works entitled « Rituels De Transmutation » in tribute to his friends who died of AIDS. They evoke suffering, spirituality, death and transmutation, the medical term for the transformation of one substance into another. Using his body and his blood as a medium is always a delicate matter. But at a time when artists are « militating for art to regain its original ritual dimension » his work is a milestone in art history. A magnificent work, more relevant than ever.
Resume
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS :
CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, PARIS
CENTRE NATIONAL DES ARTS PLASTIQUES, PARIS
MUSEE D’ART MODERNE, PARIS
MAISON EUROPEENNE DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE, PARIS
MAC VAL, VITRY SUR SEINE
MUSEE D’ART MODERNE ET CONTEMPORAIN, STRASBOURG
FRAC AQUITAINE, BORDEAUX
FRAC CHAMPAGNE ARDENNE, REIMS
FRAC LIMOUSIN, LIMOGES
FRAC LES ABATTOIRS, TOULOUSE
FRAC RHONE ALPES, VILLEURBANNE
FDAC SEINE SAINT DENIS, PARIS
PINAULT COLLECTION, PARIS
INSTITUT VALENCIEN D’ART MODERNE, VALENC
SAMMLUNG VERBUND COLLECTION, VIENNE
SOLO SHOWS :
2022 MICHEL JOURNIAC, LES MAINS, GALERIE CHRISTOPHE GAILLARD, PARIS
2018 MICHEL JOURNIAC, GALERIE CHRISTOPHE GAILLARD, PARIS
2017 MICHEL JOURNIAC, AU PRESENT, TRANSPALETTE, BOURGES
2017 MICHEL JOURNIAC, L’ACTION PHOTOGRAPHIQUE, MAISON EUROPEENNE DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE, PARIS
2016 MICHEL JOURNIAC, VOLUME 4, GALERIE PATRICIA DORFMANN, PARIS
2014 MICHEL JOURNIAC, HOMMAGE, UNIVERSITE PARIS 1 PANTHEON SORBONNE, PARIS
2013 MICHEL JOURNIAC, LE MAITRE FOU, CNEAI, CHATOU
2012 MICHEL JOURNIAC VOLUME 3, GALERIE PATRICIA DORFMANN, PARIS
2009 MICHEL JOURNIAC VOLUME 2, GALERIE PATRICIA DORFMANN, PARIS
2008 MICHEL JOURNIAC VOLUME 1, GALERIE PATRICIA DORFMANN, PARIS
2004 MICHEL JOURNIAC, MUSEE D’ART MODERNE ET CONTEMPORAIN, STRASBOURG
2001 MICHEL JOURNIAC, 24 HEURES DE LA VIE D’UNE FEMME ORDINAIRE, LA GALERIE, NOISY LE SEC
1998 MICHEL JOURNIAC, UFR DES ARTS PLASTIQUES, PARIS
1997 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE TRANSMUTATION, GALERIE DONGUY, PARIS
1997 MICHEL JOURNIAC, CENTRE HEURE EXQUISE, MONS EN BAROEUL
1996 MICHEL JOURNIAC, HOMMAGE, LA SORBONNE, PARIS
1996 MICHEL JOURNIAC, ECOLE DES BEAUX ARTS, NANTES
1994 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE TRANSMUTATION, MUSEE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN, BILBAO
1993 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE TRANSMUTATION, ENVOI POSTAL, PARIS
1991 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL POUR UN LIVRE, GALERIE DONGUY, PARIS
1988 MICHEL JOURNIAC, ICONES DU TEMPS PRESENT, GALERIE DONGUY, PARIS
1986 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL INITIATIQUE, GALERIE MICHEL VIDAL, PARIS
1985 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL POUR UN LINCEUL, ATELIER JOURNIAC MIEGE, PARIS
1985 MICHEL JOURNIAC, MEURTRE ET SACRE, GALERIE DONGUY, PARIS
1983 MICHEL JOURNIAC, ACTION DE CORPS EXCLU, CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, PARIS
1983 MICHEL JOURNIAC, LE VIERGE MERE, GALERIE MICHEL OZENNE, PARIS
1982 MICHEL JOURNIAC, LE VIERGE MERE, CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, PARIS
1981 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE CORPS INTERDITS 3, L’AUTRE MUSEE, BRUXELLES
1981 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE CORPS INTERDITS 2, MUSEE D’ART MODERNE, STOCKHOLM
1981 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DE CORPS INTERDITS 1, CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, PARIS
1980 MICHEL JOURNIAC, GALERIE BIJAM AALAM AND MICHEL OZENNE, PARIS
1979 MICHEL JOURNIAC, ACTION EROTICO PATRIOTIQUE, GALERIE SYLVIA BOURDON, PARIS
1979 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL POUR UN MORT, GALERIE 32, LYON
1978 MICHEL JOURNIAC, THEATRE OBLIQUE, PARIS
1978 MICHEL JOURNIAC, L’INCESTE, GALERIE S, ROME
1977 MICHEL JOURNIAC, L’OSSUAIRE DE L’ESPRIT, GALERIE ARTCURIAL, PARIS
1976 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL POUR UN AUTRE, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1976 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL POUR UN MORT, GALERIE A ZERBIB, PARIS
1976 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL D’IDENTITE ALEATOIRE, GALERIE UNIMEDIA, GENES
1976 MICHEL JOURNIAC, RITUEL DU SANG, GALERIE DIAGRAMA, MILAN
1975 MICHEL JOURNIAC, L’INCESTE, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1974 MICHEL JOURNIAC, 24 HEURES DE LA VIE D’UNE FEMME ORDINAIRE, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1973 MICHEL JOURNIAC, CONTRAT DE PROSTITUTION, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1973 MICHEL JOURNIAC,CONTRAT POUR UN CORPS, SPACE 640, SAINT JEANNET
1972 MICHEL JOURNIAC, SE PARER DE LA DEPOUILLE D’AUTRUI, ENVOI POSTAL DU PROJET, PARIS
1972 MICHEL JOURNIAC, CONTRAT POUR UN CORPS, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1972 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PIEGE POUR UN TRAVESTI, GALERIE ARGES II, BRUXELLES
1972 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PIEGE POUR UN TRAVESTI, GALERIE STADLER, PARIS
1972 MICHEL JOURNIAC, HOMMAGE A FREUD, ENVOI POSTAL DU PROJET, PARIS
1971 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PIEGE POUR UNE EXECUTION CAPITALE, AMERICAN CENTER, PARIS
1971 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PARODIE D’UNE COLLECTION, MONSIEUR AND MADAME IMBERT COLLECTIONNEURS, PARIS
1970 MICHEL JOURNIAC, MANIFESTE DU CHEQUE, GALERIE DANIEL TEMPLON, PARIS
1970 MICHEL JOURNIAC, REFERENDUM, GALERIE DANIEL TEMPLON, PARIS
1970 MICHEL JOURNIAC, ENQUETE SUR UN CORPS, LABORATOIRE D’ANALYSES MARC MARTIN MALBURET, PARIS
1969 MICHEL JOURNIAC, LA LESSIVE, GALERIE DANIEL TEMPLON, PARIS
1969 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PIEGE POUR UN VOYEUR, GALERIE MARC MARTIN MALBURET, PARIS
1969 MICHEL JOURNIAC, MESSE POUR UN CORPS, GALERIE DANIEL TEMPLON, PARIS
1968 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PIEGE DU SANG, CLOITRE DES BILLETTES, PARIS
1963 MICHEL JOURNIAC, PEINTURES, GALERIE DES JEUNES, PARIS