Ipousteguy

1920 - 2006, Dun-sue-Meuse, France

Sculptor, Painter

EXPRESSIVE WORKS WITH PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE

As a 18-year Ipousteguy moved to Paris where he starts his training as a sculptor and painter at evening classes. In 1948 he helped to decorate the church Saint-Jacques de Montrouge and devotes himself to his sculptural works. Ipousteguy’s sculptures engage his era and possess social themes, as well as erotic motifs and death. The strong themes express themselves in the works with a powerful and often sensual expression. During the Second World War Ipousteguy serves in the French navy and his experiences also have an influence on his works, as we also see with the Danish sculptor Jørgen Haugen Sørensen.

During his career Ipousteguy’s works develop from the abstract to the increasingly figurative. The human body is often a central figure in his sculptures and his fractured, mangled and composite bodies marks a clear inspiration from surrealism. In his sculptures, he is able to produce human beings in both an abstract and naturalistic way. Furthermore Ipousteguy’s sculptures revolve around themes such as death in both a tangible and intangible way.

THE PECULIARITY OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

In around the year 1950 Ipousteguy becomes a part of the group of abstract artists in Paris, and thus has a kinship with contemporary abstract movements such as the CoBrA group. With his surrealistic inspiration and classical training Ipousteguy creates his own synthesis of expressionism. A good example of this is Remoulus Marbles. The bronze sculpture from this series, sold by Galerie Birch to the New Carlsberg Foundation at an exhibition in 1967, interprets the classic figure Remoulus and combines the classical-figurative with the abstract expression.

GALLERIE BIRCH AND IPOUSTEGUY

Ipousteguy had in 1967 one acclaimed solo exhibition at Galerie Birch and participated later in several other exhibitions in the gallery. During the exhibition in 1967 a reviewer writes:
“Ipousteguy is the Rodin of our time, says Birch with a sure sense of the opinions that may offend us.”

Børge Birch’s opinion shows what talent he sees in the French artist and his excitement and enthusiasm is also evident in the planning and set-up of the exhibition and the opening. Birch puts a lot of work in the event and ensures that each work presents itself in the best possible way. When the doors opened at the opening, Børge Birch ensured that no one had previously seen the show, wanting the assembled crowd to react “as children who are seeing a Christmas tree.” The exhibition is praised in the newspapers, and the masterpiece “Remoulus” purchased by the New Carlsberg Foundation. Today, it is experienced in Louisiana in Humlebæk.

REPRESENTED AT THE FOLLOWING DANISH MUSEUMS

The legendary group show in Galerie Birch in 1977 “Art is better than Gold”
Museum Jorn in Silkeborg
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
AROS
The Kastrupgaard collection
Randers Museum of Art
KUNSTEN in Ålborg
Horsens Museum of Art
Funen Museum of Art

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