Lucien Clergue

Lucien Clergue (born the August 14th 1934 with Arles) is a Photographe French.

Biography

As of the 7 years age, Lucien Clergue learns how to play of the violin. A few years later its professor reveals to him that it can nothing any more learn to him. Resulting from a family of modest tradesmen, it will not be able to continue its ranges with the academy. In 1949, he learns the rudiments from photography. Four years later, at the time of a Bullfight in Arles, it forces the destiny by putting its photographs under the nose of Pablo Picasso. That Ci is subjugated and requires to see others of them. During one year and half the Clergue young person works with an aim of sending photographs to Picasso. It is during this period that parallel to the " charognes" he creates the series of the “Travelling acrobats” or “the great recreation”. November 4th, 1955, Lucien Clergue goes to Cannes, at Picasso which receives it with open arms… their friendship will last nearly thirty years, until the death of the Master. The book Picasso my friend recalls the important moments of their relation.

In 1968, it founds with his/her friend the writer Michel Tournier the festival of photography of the Rencontres of Arles which is held each year with Arles in July.

The town of Arles devotes to him in 2007 a very important retrospective through 360 photographs gone back to 1953 to 2007.

It is named knight of the Légion of honor in 2003 and is elected member of the Académie of the Art schools of the Institute of France, on May 31st 2006, at the time of the creation of a new section devoted to photography (VIII), then received under the cupola on October 10th, 2007. He is thus the first photographer to enter to the Academy to a seat reserved for photography, Yann Arthus-Bertrand was elected with a second armchair.

Books

memorable Body , Editions Pierre Seghers, Paris, 1957.
Portraits , Actes Sud, Arles, 2005

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