Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s animals are on display at Beauval!
A curious nocturnal spectacle took place during the night of 3 April at the ZooParc de Beauval, shrouded in the utmost secrecy, and by dawn, some new residents had taken up residence in the heart of the park… Several monumental sculptures by the artist Michel BASSOMPIERRE have been installed in various locations around the park and will be on display until 12 November. That’s seven months during which visitors can come and admire these masterful works crafted by one of our greatest animal sculptors!
The first event celebrating Beauval’s 45th anniversary, this exceptional exhibition, entitled ‘Fragile Colossi’, is sponsored by primatologist Sabrina Krief, a chimpanzee specialist and professor at the National Museum of Natural History.
8 monumental sculptures, including one that stands 6 metres tall!
6 brown bears and 1 polar bear*, 1 penguin, 1 gorilla… the “Fragile Colossi”, skilfully sculpted by Michel BASSOMPIERRE, invite everyone to reflect on the fragility of nature and the need to preserve it. Among these impressive sculptures, one of them is no less than 4 metres wide and stands 6 metres tall!
Le Dos Argenté: one of Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s eight statues on display at ZooParc de Beauval
As soon as you enter the ZooParc, you can admire a huge bear standing on its hind legs, named ‘Le Mélèze’. Near the Equatorial Dome, three sculptures will catch visitors’ eyes: ‘Le Jeu’, ‘La Banquise*’ and ‘Le Miel’. In the heart of the park, the ‘Empereur’ and the ‘Dos Argenté’ will be quietly awaiting visitors. As for the ‘Saumons’, the ‘Abeilles’ and the ‘Campagnol’, they can be seen in the Heights of China and near the Elephant Plains.
Raising awareness of animal conservation through art
Through realistic sculptures combining curves and rounded forms, Michel BASSOMPIERRE shares his gentle yet keen perspective on the animal world. Through this exceptional exhibition at the heart of the ZooParc de Beauval, Beauval is using art to reinforce its mission of raising awareness of biodiversity conservation.
‘Fragile Colossuses’ is one of three major artistic events planned by Michel BASSOMPIERRE this year, alongside the celebrations marking Caen’s millennium and the prestigious exhibition on Park Avenue in New York. Beauval is all the more delighted to showcase these unique, unifying works, offering visitors the chance to admire the work and message of a great French artist – and why not have their photo taken in front of them?
About Michel BASSOMPIERRE: Born in Paris in 1948, he is one of the greatest contemporary animal sculptors. His bears, horses, elephants and gorillas can be found in his studio, in galleries and in collections around the world. He has permanent exhibitions in Paris, Cannes and Honfleur, amongst other places, and his work is also showcased abroad in New York, Miami, London, Venice, Valencia and Brussels. A nature lover, the artist works in the seclusion of his studio near Nantes. His works are a powerful plea to raise awareness of the need to protect nature.
*The sculpture ‘La Banquise’, depicting a polar bear, will be installed later in June.
