Benoît Maire came close to becoming a philosopher. He completed doctoral studies at the Sorbonne before abandoning them in 2006, a decision that functions as something of a statement of method: theory, for Maire, is not commentary on art but raw material for it.
Key facts
- Born
- 1978, French[1]
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Biography
Born in Pessac, France, on 22 October 1978[1], he studied visual art and philosophy at Michel de Montaigne University Bordeaux 3 and Villa Arson in Nice before moving to Paris, where he completed graduate study at Le Pavillon at the Palais de Tokyo. The interdisciplinary framework he developed there, treating philosophical concepts as objects to be sculpted, filmed, or staged rather than simply argued, has remained the basis of his practice.
His exhibitions range across sculpture, film, painting, photography, and performance, often staging encounters between archival or found material and original work. *George Slays the Dragon* at Kunstverein Bielefeld (2015) and *Thèbes* at Spike Island in Bristol (2018) are among his major solo presentations. The Centre Georges Pompidou and the FRAC Aquitaine hold his work, as do the Kadist Art Foundation and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
In 2021 he was awarded a residency at the Villa Medici in Rome, one of the most competitive artist residencies available to French[1] practitioners, continuing a practice that resists easy categorisation.
Timeline
- 1978Born in Pessac, France on 22 October.
- 2006Abandoned doctoral studies in philosophy at the Sorbonne.
- 2015Presented the solo exhibition "George Slays the Dragon" at Kunstverein Bielefeld.
- 2018Presented the solo exhibition "Thèbes" at Spike Island in Bristol.
- 2021Awarded a residency at the Villa Medici in Rome.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Benoit Maire known for?
Benoît Maire is known for his interdisciplinary framework, treating philosophical concepts as objects to be sculpted, filmed, or staged rather than simply argued. His exhibitions range across sculpture, film, painting, photography, and performance, often staging encounters between archival or found material and original work.Who was Benoit Maire?
Benoît Maire was born in Pessac, France, on 22 October 1978[1]. He studied visual art and philosophy at Michel de Montaigne University Bordeaux 3 and Villa Arson in Nice before moving to Paris, where he completed graduate study at Le Pavillon at the Palais de Tokyo.When was Benoit Maire born?
Benoit Maire was born in 1978[1].
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Benoit Maire.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Benoit Maire Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Bénédicte Savoy, Charlotte Guichard, Christine Howald, Acquiring Cultures Used for: biography.
- [3] book guggenheim-invested00blis Used for: biography.
- [4] book guggenheim-twopri00weis Used for: biography.
- [5] book Masterpieces of western art : a history of art in 900 individual studies from the Gothic to the present day Used for: biography.
- [6] book Amy Lyford, Surrealist masculinities _ gender anxiety and the aesthetics of post-World War I reconstruction in France Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [7] book Michel, Emile(Author), Temptis : The Brueghels Used for: stylistic analysis.
- [8] book Bruegel, Jan; Bruegel, Pieter; Bruegel, Pieter; Bruegel, Jan; Bruegel, Pieter; Charles, Victoria; Michel, Emile; Bruegel, Pieter, The Brueghels (Temporis) [Illustrated]_1 Used for: stylistic analysis.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-06-18. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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