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.

  • Prune Nourry, La destruction n'est pas une fin en soi (Tête avec encens), 2019 Bronze, black patina, stainless steel incense 30 × 35 × 30 cm — 11 3/4 × 13 3/4 × 11 3/4 in.

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)

2026 Visionnaires, carte blanche at Petit Palais, Paris, France
Défense de rien toucher, travelling exhibition, Palais idéal du Facteur Cheval, Hauterives, France
Statues Also Breathe, MACAAL, Marrakech, Morocco
2025 Mothership, site-specific installation, Voyage à Nantes, place Graslin, Nantes, France
Empreintes, travelling exhibition, Fondation Bullukian, Lyon, France
Venus, Musée Paul Éluard, Saint-Denis, France
Venus, Galerie Templon, Paris, France

Voir plus

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
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)

2026 Diseuses de silence, Espace Monte Cristo – Fondation Datris, Paris, France
Préhistoire : entre utopie et réalité, Collège de France, Paris, France
Maternités, archéologie de la figure maternelle, Le Chronographe – musée archéologique de Nantes
Métropole, Nantes, France
Bonnes Mères, MUCEM, Marseille, France
2025 Engagées, Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France
2024 Atys, Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Faire corps, Fondation Villa Datris, Paris, France

Voir plus

Breasts, Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy
Carte verte, French Embassy in Danemark, Copenhagen, Danemark
2023 Dsoèrdre, H Gallery, Paris, France
L'Hôtel particulier de Monsieur H, Galerie Mouvements Modernes, Paris, France
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
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

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS (SELECTION)

Artothèque – Bibliothèque municipale de la Part-Dieu, Lyon, France
Artothèque - Bibliothèque municipale de Grenoble - Grenoble, France
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France
Museo Diego Rivera – Anahuacalli, Mexico
Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet - Paris, France
The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York, États-Unis
Maris Buchinger Foundation, Überlingen, Germany

Voir plus

Maison Bernardaud, Limoges, France
Fondation Villa Datris, France

Press

France Culture - August 2026

Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval : conversation avec l'artiste Prune Nourry

Aline Bieth

Beaux Arts - July 2026

Le Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval investi par Prune Nourry avec une expo touchante à toucher

Malika Bauwens

Elle Décoration - July-August 2026

Prune Nourry au Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval, dans la Drôme

Connaissance des Arts - June 2026

Exposition gratuite à Paris : Au Petit Palais, Prune Nourry va révéler les visages de 18 artistes femmes oubliées de la Belle Epoque

Agathe Hakoum

Infrarouge - June 2026

L'art à fleur de peau

Fabrice Bourland

Sortir à Paris - June 2026

Les femmes sculptrices à l'honneur dans l'exposition Visionnaires de Prune Nourry au Petit Palais

Cécile Darrivère

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News

Prune Nourry
VISIONNAIRES – CARTE BLANCHE TO PRUNE NOURRY – PETIT PALAIS, PARIS

Solo Show

Petit Palais, Paris
From October 20, 2026 to January 24, 2027

The Petit Palais has invited Prune Nourry to take over the entire museum to shine a light on female sculptors who have been overlooked or forgotten by art history. The artist has sculpted portraits of 18 of these “visionary” women, which are displayed throughout the collections, including in the museum garden, as part of a living genealogy of faces that remain difficult to depict.

Prune Nourry
DÉFENSE DE RIEN TOUCHER – PALAIS IDÉAL DU FACTEUR CHEVAL

Solo Show

Palais idéal du Facteur Cheval, Hauterives
From May 31 to September 6, 2026

The Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval is dedicating a solo show to Prune Nourry, designed entirely to be experienced through touch. Presented to great acclaim at the Fondation Bullukian in Lyon, and ahead of its 2027 showing at the Musée Camille Claudel, the exhibition finds a unique stop on its tour here. Set within this extraordinary space, it embraces its spirit and extends its vision: a dialogue between cultures, between time periods, between imaginations. Curated by Frédéric Legros

Prune Nourry
Jeanne Vicerial
DISEUSES DE SILENCE

Group show

Espace Monte-Cristo, Paris
From April 18 to December 13, 2026

Through the voices of 21 female sculptors, the Villa Datris Foundation seeks to break the silence surrounding our contemporary history. Prune Nourry’s Vénus and Jeanne Vicerial’s gardienne are on display in Paris for this occasion. Curated by: Pauline Ruiz and Jules Fourtine

Prune Nourry Venus (Maria), 2024 Bronze, patine effet peau de terre Bronze, earthen skin patina 57 × 18 × 15 cm — 22 1/2 × 7 × 6 in.

Prune Nourry
PRÉHISTOIRE : ENTRE UTOPIE ET RÉALITÉ

Group show

Collège de France
From April 29 to July 19, 2026

Prune Nourry’s Vénus (Maria) will be on display at the Collège de France starting April 29. The work of major figures from the Collège on prehistory will be placed in dialogue with its reception in art, literature, and popular representations, highlighting the way our vision of this era and the representation of women have been shaped. Curated by Pr Jean-Jacques Hublin.

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
Nazanin Pouyandeh
BONNES MÈRES – MUCEM

Group show

Mucem, Marseille
From March 18, 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, Prune Nourry, and Nazanin Pouyandeh 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, Empreinte d’une Grande Vénus (Lespugue) from 2024, and Le voyage souterrain (2015).
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.

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Videos

Prune Nourry

Infinite Arrows
Prune Nourry

Projet Phenix
Prune Nourry

Catharsis
Prune Nourry

Contemporary Archeology
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