Prune Nourry

The artist

Born in 1985 in Paris, Prune Nourry lives and works in New York. She is interested in the fields of science and anthropology, particularly bioethical questions relating to gender selection and the artificial evolution of humankind. She explores these issues with an artistic approach that combines sculpture, installations, performances and video. Over the last few years, the artist has gained recognition for her long-term projects, such as the Terracotta Daughters army, inspired by the Xi’an terracotta warriors. The piece travelled the world between 2013 and 2015, from Paris to China and taking in Zurich, New York and Mexico City.

Exhibitions

Biography

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Birth Born in 1985 in Paris, France
Residency Lives and works between New York and Paris
Education 2006
École Boulle, Paris, France

SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)

2025 Venus, Musée Paul Éluard, Saint-Denis, France
Venus, Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Projet Phenix, Fondation Bullukian, Lyon, France
Reflection, site-specific installation, North Beach, Miami, USA
2023 Ligne de vie, musée de La Poste, Paris, France
Fauteuil d’artiste #11, La Scala – Paris, Paris, France
2022 Mater Earth, permanent installation, Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France

Voir plus

Statues Also Breathe, Art Twenty One, Lagos, Nigeria
Infinite Arrows, TEMPLON, Brussels, Belgium
L’Amazone Érogène (Arc), displayed in Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium’s hall, Brussels, Belgium
Atys, Cour d’honneur, Assemblée nationale, Paris, France
Atys, Opéra-ballet, Opéra royal de Versailles, Paris, France
Atys, Grand foyers, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
Atys, Opéra-ballet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
2021 Projet Phenix, Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Amazone Erogène, Le Bon Marché – Rive Gauche, Paris, France
2019 Catharsis Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Daughters, Château de Malromé, Saint-André-du-Bois, France
2018 The Amazon, Standard Plaza Hotel, New York, USA
La destruction n’est pas une fin en soi, Les Rencontres de la photographie d’Arles, Les Magasins Électriques, Arles, France
2017 Holy, Carte Blanche à Prune Nourry, musée Guimet, Paris, France
Contemporary Archeology, Galerie Daniel Templon, Brussels, Belgium
2016 Imbalance, Galerie Magda Danysz - Paris, Paris, France
2015 Terracotta Daughters, The Earth Ceremony, landfill of the Terracotta Daughters army, China
Terracotta Daughters, Simon Studer Art, Geneva, Switzerland
2014 Terracotta Daughters, Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli, Mexico, Mexico
Terracotta Daughters, China Institute, New York, USA
Imbalance, installation in a back & foot rub, New York, USA
Terracotta Daughters, Flux Laboratory, Zurich, Switzerland
Terracotta Daughters, Galerie Magda Danysz - Paris , Paris, France
Terracotta Daughters, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2013 Terracotta Daughters, Galerie Magda Danysz, Shanghai, China
Genesis, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Holy Daughters, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
Holy Daughters, Henrik Springmann Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2012 Holy Daughters, The Invisible Dog Art Center, New York, New York, USA
2011 Holy Daughters, curated by Tatyana Franck, Paris, France
2009 Le Dîner Procréatif, Laboratory Studio, Paris, France
2007 Les Bébés domestiques, Max Lang Gallery, New York, USA
In situ exhibition, Animalerie, Quai de la Mégisserie, Paris, France

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)

2025 Le voyage à Nantes, Place Graslin, Nantes, France
2024 Atys, Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Faire corps, Fondation Villa Datris, Paris, France
Breasts, Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy
2023 Désordre, H Gallery, Paris, France
L'Hôtel particulier de Monsieur H, Galerie Mouvements Modernes, Paris, France
Just Phriends - Joopiter, Perrotin Matignon, Paris, France

Voir plus

Métro ! Le Grand Paris en mouvement, Cité de l’Architechture et du Patrimoine, Paris, France
Sculpture Garden, Biennale, Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Temporality_Capturing the transience of the present moment, MOT (Module of Temporality) – Traveling exhibition ; Dnipro ; Kiev ; Kyiv Ukraine
Strand for Women, FIAF et Masha Amini, New York, USA
De leur temps (7), Un regard sur des collections privées, Frac Grand Large, Dunkerque, France
2022 Nafas, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Mater Earth, permanent installation, Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France
Mettre au monde, Centre d’art contemporain de l’ar[T]senal, Dreux, France
Glasstress 2022 curated by Adriano Berengo and Dimitri Ozerkov, Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Venice, Italy
Her way to say it, The Invisible Collection, London, UK
2019 Glasstress 2019, 6th edition, curated by Vik Muniz and Koen Vanmechelen, Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Venice, Italy
Bêtes de Scène, Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France
2018 Vis-à-vis, Galerie Magda Danysz – Paris, Paris, France
Collection David H. Brolliet, Geneva, Switzerland
40 ans de passion, Collection David H. Brolliet, Fondation Fernet-Branca, Saint Louis, France
2017 Hidden Art, Simon Studer Art, Geneva, Switzerland
2016 Anima, The Invisible Dog Art Center, New York, NY, USA
2015 Voices of 20 Contemporary Artists at Idem Paris, Tokyo Station Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
The Drawing Hand™ Chapter 4 - Md Gallery Paris, Galerie Magda Danysz – London, London, UK
360°, Galerie Magda Danysz – Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Sleeping Beauty, Galerie Magda Danysz – Paris, Paris, France
Asia Now, Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris, France
2014 Girls, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
La Part Animale, Galerie Sophie Sheidecker, Paris, France
2013 At Home, Contemporary Art Center, Malaga, Spain
2011 Group Show, Polka Galerie, Paris, France
Holy Daughters, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
2009 Gimme More, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
2008 Les Bébés domestiques, KJBi Art Space, Brussels, Belgium
2007 Biennale d'Issy, Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
2006 Wooster on Spring, New York, New York, USA
Aux Arts Citoyens, Espace des Blancs Manteaux, Paris, France
2004 Group show, Galerie "M", Paris, France
Toit et Moi, Galerie La Loge, Paris, France

NOMINATIONS

2018 Nomination to the Order of Commander of Arts and Letters, Ministry of Culture and Communication, France

CONFERENCES AND LECTURES

2022 The world is ours, Serendipity film screening and conference, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, France
Duel #2, Serendipity film screening and conference; moderators: Tatyana Franck and François Asermet, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
2019 The First Annual TIME 100 Health Summit, world leaders and prominent figures in health care discussing essential perspectives on health and wellness, New York City, USA
Metrograph Theater, Introduction of Agnes Varda’s film “Cleo from 5 to 7” by Prune Nourry, New York City, USA
2018 A conversation with Taryn Simon and Prune Nourry, Park Avenue Armory Talk, Luncheon Series, New York City, USA
Fubiz Talk, Le rendez-vous de la créativité, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
2016 Mapping Memory, Keynote Address, CUNY University The Graduate Center, New York City, USA

Voir plus

Preparing Tomorrow Today – designing a museum for the future, with Tatyana Franck (Director of the musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne), Aurora Museum, Shanghai, China
2014 Visiting Artist Lecture, Suny New Platz, New York City, USA
Art et Société: L’imaginaire peut-il influer sur la réalité?, (Art and Society: can imagination change the reality?), with Sophie Makariou (Director of Musée Guimet), Christophe Guilmoto (Sociologist) and Magda Danysz (Gallerist), Paris, France
Terracotta Daughters, Discussion with Chien Chung (Didi) Pei, Chair of the Board of Trustees of China Institute, Alliance Française - Institut Français, New York, USA
2010 Holy Daughters - Sex Selective Abortions in India, with the sociologist Ravinder Kaur, moderated by Alka Pande, art adviser and curator, India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India
The Emergence of Contemporary Indian Art, moderated by Christine Ithurbide, researcher in contemporary art, Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, France
2009 Interview-conference, moderated by Malvika Maheshwari, Professor, Science Po, Paris, France
Conference, moderated by Sonia Brunel, speaker of National Museums, auditorium of the Louvre, Paris, France
2008 How we draw the borderline between humans and animals: Challenging art experiments with hybrid pet babies, moderated by sociologist Noriko Nijiima, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
2007 Interview-conference, moderated by Professor Gérard Rodach, Science Po, Paris, France

PROJECTS

2024 Atys, Domaine de Chaumont sur Loire, France
Works commissioned by the Cheval Blanc Hotel, Seychelles
2023 Timbre d’artiste, édité par La Poste, France
2022 Creation of a stamp, edited by La Poste, French postal services
Set of baroque opéra-ballet Atys, Grand Théatre de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland; Opéra Royale de Versailles, Versailles, France
2020 Serendipity, Special projection series, UNAFF/Stanford, Denver Women Film Festival, Health Museum Houston, TX, United States
2018 Serendipity, film directed by Prune Nourry, written and produced by Alastair Siddons, edited by Paul Carlin, executive producers : Angelina Jolie, Sol Guy, Darren Aronofsky, presented at the MoMA DOC Fortnight Festival, New York, USA; at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale 2019), Berlin, Germany; at the Tribeca Film Festival 2019, New York, USA;

PERFORMANCES

2018 The Amazon, installation and performance, Hudson River and Standard Plaza Hotel, New York, USA
2013 Genesis, solo show and performance, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Le Dîner procréatif, solo exhibition and performance, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
2014 The Archeological dinner, Installation and performance, in collaboration with Jean-François Piège, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2011 Holy River, happening, Calcutta Arts Club, Calcutta, India
Spermbar, installation and performance, 5th Avenue commissioned by L’Institut français Alliance Française (FIAF) during the Crossing the Line Festival, New York, USA
2010 Holy Daughters, happening, New Delhi, India

Voir plus

2009 Le Dîner procréatif, installation and performance, Espace R, Geneva, Switzerland
2008 Les Bébés domestiques, happening, Tokyo, Japan
Adoption Day #2, happening, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
2007 Adoption Day #1, happening, Jaguar Shoes Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Press

Forbes - February 2025

French Artist Prune Nourry turns Female Trauma survivors into a Modern Day Venus

RTL - February 2025

Prune Nourry : pourqoui il est important pour la sculpture de faire des collaborations

Xavier de Moulins

Les Inkrockuptibles - February 2025

5 expos passionantes à void en fevrier

Jean-marie Durand

Le Monde - February 2025

Prune Nourry

Le Monde - February 2025

Selection galleries : Prune Nourry chez Templon et Xie Lei Semiose

Emmanuelle Jardonnet

QG Magazine - February 2025

"Venus" au Grenier Saint Lazare

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News

Prune Nourry
LE VOYAGE à NANTES

Group show

Le Voyage à Nantes, Nantes
From June 28 to August 31, 2025

Le Voyage à Nantes invites Prune Nourry to take over the place Graslin from June 28, 2025, with her brand-new work Mothership, a nearly 17m-long sculpture in the shape of upturned boat hulls. Made of metallic structures, the frameworks of these hulls trace skeletal lines that appear simultaneously human, animal, and naval, in keeping with her interest in hybridizing living forms.

Prune Nourry
VENUS – MUSéE PAUL-ELUARD

Solo Show

The musée d'Art et d'Histoire Paul-Éluard, Saint-Denis
From March 21 to September 21, 2025

The musée d’Art et d’Histoire Paul-Éluard in Saint-Denis is devoting a solo show to Prune Nourry from March 21, 2025. The exhibition, entitled Vénus, follows on from her Grand Paris Express project in the Saint-Denis – Pleyel station, in tandem with the architect Kengo Kuma, and is an extension of La Terre qui m’est Chair, which aims to harvest a handful of the earth that matters to the women of Saint-Denis while telling its story.

Prune Nourry
CORPUS

Book signing

28 rue du Grenier-Saint-Lazare, Paris
On February 13, from 6 pm to 8 pm

On the occasion of the preview launch of Prune Nourry’s monograph Corpus (Éditions de La Martinière), a talk between the artist, Marylène Patou-Mathis and Catherine Schwab, will take place in the Venus exhibition at 6 pm, followed by a book signing at 7 pm. Free entrance.

Prune Nourry
CARTE VERTE

Group show

The French Embassy, Copenhagen
From October 11 to 31, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Carte Verte, curated by Natalia Gutman, Prune Nourry exhibits her works Squatting holy daughters and Standing Holy Daughters at the French Embassy in Denmark from October 11, 2024. The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Institut Français and features works by seven French and Danish artists.

Abdelkader Benchamma
Iván Navarro
Prune Nourry
MÉTRO ! LE GRAND PARIS EN MOUVEMENT

Group show

Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris
From November 8, 2023 to June 2, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Métro! Le Grand Paris en mouvement, Abdelkader Benchamma, Iván Navarro and Prune Nourry will be exhibiting their works from November 8, 2023 at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris. Focusing on mobility and urbanity, the exhibition presents visionary projects and the fictional world of the subway, curated by Dominique Perrault, Francis Rambert and Jean-Marc Hofman.

Prune Nourry
ARTIST STAMP — LIGNE DE VIE

La Poste
From October 16, 2023 to October 31, 2024

Prune Nourry’s artist’s stamp produced with the printing house of the French institution La Poste, printed in 450,000 copies, will be available from October 16, 2023. For this new project, the artist has chosen Aïcha, a student at the INJA-Louis Braille, as her model.

Prune Nourry
MATER EARTH

Permanent Collection

Château La Coste, France

The installation “Mater Earth” by Prune Nourry joined the Château La Coste’s permanent collection.

Prune Nourry
INSTALLATION – CRACKED HEAD

Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Until March 31, 2024

On the occasion of the Crans-Montana Biennial and in collaboration with Sculpture Garden, Prune Nourry exhibits her artwork Cracked Head #4 until March 31, 2024.

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Videos

Prune Nourry

Infinite Arrows
Prune Nourry

Projet Phenix
Prune Nourry

Catharsis
Prune Nourry

Contemporary Archeology
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