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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BirthBorn in 1985 in Paris, France
ResidencyLives and works between New York and Paris
Education2006
École Boulle, Paris, France

SOLO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)

2025Mothership, site-specific installation, Voyage à Nantes, place Graslin, Nantes, France
Empreintes, travelling exhibition, Fondation Bullukian, Lyon, France
Reflection, site-specific installation, North Beach, Miami, USA
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

Voir plus

2023Ligne de vie, musée de La Poste, Paris, France
Fauteuil d’artiste #11, La Scala – Paris, Paris, France
2022Mater Earth, permanent installation, Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France
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
2021Projet Phenix, Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Amazone Erogène, Le Bon Marché – Rive Gauche, Paris, France
2019Catharsis Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Daughters, Château de Malromé, Saint-André-du-Bois, France
2018The 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
2017Holy, Carte Blanche à Prune Nourry, musée Guimet, Paris, France
Contemporary Archeology, Galerie Daniel Templon, Brussels, Belgium
2016Imbalance, Galerie Magda Danysz - Paris, Paris, France
2015Terracotta Daughters, The Earth Ceremony, landfill of the Terracotta Daughters army, China
Terracotta Daughters, Simon Studer Art, Geneva, Switzerland
2014Terracotta 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
2013Terracotta Daughters, Galerie Magda Danysz, Shanghai, China
Genesis, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Holy Daughters, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
Holy Daughters, Henrik Springmann Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2012Holy Daughters, The Invisible Dog Art Center, New York, New York, USA
2011Holy Daughters, curated by Tatyana Franck, Paris, France
2009Le Dîner Procréatif, Laboratory Studio, Paris, France
2007Les Bébés domestiques, Max Lang Gallery, New York, USA
In situ exhibition, Animalerie, Quai de la Mégisserie, Paris, France

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)

2025Engagées, Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France
2024Atys, Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Faire corps, Fondation Villa Datris, Paris, France
Breasts, Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy
Carte verte, French Embassy in Danemark, Copenhagen, Danemark
2023Désordre, H Gallery, Paris, France
L'Hôtel particulier de Monsieur H, Galerie Mouvements Modernes, Paris, France

Voir plus

Just Phriends - Joopiter, Perrotin Matignon, Paris, France
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
2022Nafas, 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
2019Glasstress 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
2018Vis-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
2017Hidden Art, Simon Studer Art, Geneva, Switzerland
2016Anima, The Invisible Dog Art Center, New York, NY, USA
2015Voices 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
2014Girls, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
La Part Animale, Galerie Sophie Sheidecker, Paris, France
2013At Home, Contemporary Art Center, Malaga, Spain
2011Group Show, Polka Galerie, Paris, France
Holy Daughters, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
2009Gimme More, Galerie Elaine Levy, Brussels, Belgium
2008Les Bébés domestiques, KJBi Art Space, Brussels, Belgium
2007Biennale d'Issy, Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
2006Wooster on Spring, New York, New York, USA
Aux Arts Citoyens, Espace des Blancs Manteaux, Paris, France
2004Group show, Galerie "M", Paris, France
Toit et Moi, Galerie La Loge, Paris, France

NOMINATIONS

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

CONFERENCES AND LECTURES

2022The 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
2019The 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
2018A 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
2016Mapping 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
2014Visiting 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
2010Holy 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
2009Interview-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
2008How 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
2007Interview-conference, moderated by Professor Gérard Rodach, Science Po, Paris, France

PROJECTS

2024Atys, Domaine de Chaumont sur Loire, France
Works commissioned by the Cheval Blanc Hotel, Seychelles
2023Timbre d’artiste, édité par La Poste, France
2022Creation 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
2020Serendipity, Special projection series, UNAFF/Stanford, Denver Women Film Festival, Health Museum Houston, TX, United States
2018Serendipity, 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

2018The Amazon, installation and performance, Hudson River and Standard Plaza Hotel, New York, USA
2013Genesis, solo show and performance, Casino Venier, Venice, Italy
Le Dîner procréatif, solo exhibition and performance, Flux Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
2014The Archeological dinner, Installation and performance, in collaboration with Jean-François Piège, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2011Holy 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
2010Holy Daughters, happening, New Delhi, India

Voir plus

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

Press

France Inter - February 2026

Prune Nourry : "Le sacré est très intime pour moi"

Transfuge - January 2026

Angelin Preljocaj à Versailles : Le roi danse toujours

Thomas Hahn

Arts in the City - January 2026

Carte blanche à Prune Nourry

The Art Newspaper - October 2025

Monumental sculpture honours women's service in US Coast Guard during Second World War

Radio France - June 2025

Louise, de patiente de la Maison des femmes à modèle en art contemporain: "Une naissance"

Forbes - February 2025

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

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News

Prune Nourry
MATERNITÉS, ARCHÉOLOGIE DE LA FIGURE MATERNELLE

Group show

Le Chronographe, Musée Archéologique de Nantes Métropole (France)
From April 9, 2026 to January 10, 2027

As part of an exhibition on the maternal figure at Le Chronographe, in partnership with INRAP, Prune Nourry is presenting her work Femme Miracle Enceinte (2021) and will be in dialogue with specialists about their interpretation of a Paleolithic Venus. Scientific curators: Valérie Delattre and Cécile de Collasson

Close up of some of the faces of the Chibok girls, molded by potters and students.

Prune Nourry
STATUES ALSO BREATHE – AL MAADEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART, MARRAKESH

Group show

Al Maaden Museum of Contemporary African Art, Marrakesh (Morocco)
Du 8 février 2026 à janvier 2027

For this project, Prune Nourry and Ada Bantu collaborated with Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife-Ife, 108 students from Nigeria, and the families of the Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014. 108 faces were molded by potters and students from portraits of the missing girls, forming an indivisible “army of girls.”
The exhibition continues its journey in Marrakesh.

Pierre et Gilles, La Vierge à l'enfant (Hafsia Herzi et Loric), 2009, Ink-jet photograph printed on canvas and painted, 260,5 × 194,5 cm — 102 1/2 × 76 5/8 in.

Omar Ba
Prune Nourry
Pierre et Gilles
BONNES MÈRES

Group show

Mucem, Marseille
From March 28, 2026 to August 31, 2026

On the occasion of the group show Bonnes mères (Good Mothers) at the Mucem in Marseille, Omar Ba, Pierre et Gilles, and Prune Nourry will each exhibit a work on the theme of motherhood and its representations: Guéno (2024), La Vierge à l’enfant (Hafsia Herzi and Loric) from 2009, and Empreinte d’une Grande Vénus (Lespugue) from 2024.
Curators: Caroline Chenu and Anne-Cécile Mailfert.

Prune Nourry
Jeanne Vicerial
OPERA – ATYS BY ANGELIN PRELJOCAJ

Collaboration

Royal Opera of Versailles
January 24 to 28, 2026

In 2022, Jeanne Vicerial and Prune Nourry were invited by choreographer Angelin Peljocaj to design the sets and costumes for the tragedy Atys, a masterpiece by Lully and Quinault that was hailed as the “King’s Opera” when it premiered before the court in 1676. Now revived at the Royal Opera of Versailles, the play previously met with resounding success at the Grand Théâtre de Genève four years ago.

Prune Nourry
REFLECTION

Installation

Ocean Terrace Park, Miami Beach, Miami

On the occasion of the inauguration of Ocean Terrace Park on Miami Beach, Prune Noury created Reflection, her first public installation in the United States. In collaboration with landscape architect Raymond Jungles, the 25-foot long sculpture is positioned on the promenade and pays tribute to the women who served during World War II.

Prune Nourry
VENUS

Artist talk

Ciné sur la Sorgue, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
October 4 from 8:30 pm to 10 pm
Free admission

A screening of Venus, Prune Nourry’s film, organized by Villa Datris, will take place on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 8:30 pm at Ciné sur la Sorgue. The screening will be followed by a talk between the artist, Ghada Hatem, Bouchera Azzouz, and Alexandra Dethyre about the Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis and commitment.

Prune Nourry
EMPREINTES

Solo Show

Fondation Bullukian, Lyon
From September 18 to December 27, 2025

The Fondation Bullukian is dedicating a solo show to Prune Nourry, curated by Fanny Robin, from September 18, 2025. For this unique project, the artist is putting on a resolutely sensory exhibition where each work is meant to be explored through touch. The exhibition is designed as a three-part journey. It begins in white—a clinical, immersive whiteness. Sculptures are displayed in succession, reflecting the artist’s extensive research into illness, catharsis, care, and also motherhood, all approached as experiences of otherness. White then gives way to total, absolute blackness. In the dark, the artist presents the Phenix Project, created blindfolded, where she sculpted the busts of eight visually impaired individuals using the ancestral japanese Raku technique. Finally, the exhibition concludes with a deeply personal piece: the Ligne de vie postage stamp project, which once again brings us back to the question of gesture and the tangible. The talk Regards croisés entre arts, sciences et soins with the artist, neuroscientist Nadège Roche-Labarbe and oncologist Pierre Heudel will be held at the Maison Internationale des Langues et des Cultures in Lyon on November 5, 2025, at 6:30pm.

Prune Nourry
MOTHERSHIP – LE VOYAGE À NANTES

Solo 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.

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Videos

Prune Nourry

Infinite Arrows

Prune Nourry

Projet Phenix

Prune Nourry

Catharsis

Prune Nourry

Contemporary Archeology

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