VEILHAN Xavier

After graduating from the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris in 1983, he continued his training at the Berlin University of the Arts, in Georg Baselitz’s studio. Also in 1983, he co-founded the fanzine Blank and the art group Zig-Zag. He then became a radio presenter on Cité future. He completed his training in 1989 at the Institut des hautes études en arts plastiques in Paris.

In the 1980s, he developed a multi-faceted artistic approach (sculpture, painting, environment, performance, video, photography) that blends classicism and cutting-edge techniques. His works question our perception and cultivate an interest in spaces where we can wander around, often evolving, in which the visitor becomes an actor.

Xavier Veilhan’s work is often seen in public spaces, with sculptures in numerous cities across France and abroad: Paris, Stockholm, New York, Shanghai and Seoul, among others.

In 1995, Veilhan exhibited Véhicule: a chassis, four bicycle wheels and a rocket engine that he turned in a supermarket car park and then on the roof of a Bordeaux discotheque. He then composed canvases that served as the visual backdrop for the Marcia Baïla video.

He was promoted to the rank of Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by decree on 13 February 2015.

He was also chosen to represent France at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017.

His work has been shown in a number of renowned institutions around the world, including the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris), the Mamco (Geneva), the Phillips Collection (Washington), the Mori Art Museum (Tokyo) and the MAAT (Lisbon).