Abdelkader Benchamma

The artist

Born in 1975 in Mazamet (France), Abdelkader Benchamma lives and works in Paris and Montpellier. Benchamma chooses to work in a sole medium: drawings. He adopts different approaches to the drawing process, sometimes moving across a sheet of paper with the meticulous strokes of an engraver, sometimes spreading over a wall with lavish gestures that appropriate the space. The matter escapes from the frame in a form of organic growth. Inspired by literature, philosophy, astrophysics and esoteric reflections, his works create visual scenarios that question our relationship to reality as they probe the frontiers of the invisible.

Exhibitions

Biography

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Birth Born in 1975 in Mazamet, France
Residence Lives and works in Montpellier and Paris, France
Education 2003 - École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris, France
2000 - École Supérieure des Beaux Arts, Montpellier, France

SOLO SHOWS (SELECTION)

2024 Het Noordbrabants Museum (HNBM), Den Bosch, Netherlands
2023 Solastagia: Archaeologies of Loss, The Power Plant, Toronto, Canada
Œuvre croisée, Librairie des Colonnes, Tangier, Marocco
Géologie des déluges, Fondation François Schneider, Wattwiller, France
COSMA, Templon, Paris, France
2022 Abdelkader Benchamma, Sant’Euno Church, in collaboration with Palazzo Butera and FIAF, Palermo, Italy
Abdelkader Benchamma, solo show at Galerie Templon’s booth, Art Brussels 2022, Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium
2021 Rayon fossile, Collection Lambert, Avignon, France
Echoes, Rupture et Associés, Paris, France
2020 Signes, Galerie Templon, Bruxelles, Belgium
2019 Symetrie et soupirs, In Situ : Art Contemporain et Patrimoine, Abbaye de Lagrasse, Lagrasse, France
Abdelkader Benchamma : Fata Bromosa, MRAC, Sérignan, France
Engramme, Galerie Templon, Paris, France
Rumeur des cercles, Galerie les Chantiers Boite Noire, Montpellier, France
Un artiste, une œuvre, Fondation Hélénis special commission, Montpellier, France
2018 L’horizon des évènements, CENTQUATRE-Paris, France
Echos de la Naissance des Mondes, Collège des Bernardins, on the occasion of the Nuit Blanche, curated by Gaël Charbau, Paris, France

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2017 Sous la terre, des étoiles, Art Kulte, Rabat, Morocco
2016 Abdelkader Benchamma, Islands, Maison du livre de l’image et du son, Villeurbanne, France
The Great Invisible Battle, The Blueproject Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
The Unbearable Likeness, Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Curiosité & Merveilles, Christie’s, Paris, France
2015 Abdelkader Benchamma : Representation of Dark Matter, The Stairway Project, The Wall Drawing Commission, The Drawing Center, New York, USA
Random, FRAC Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
2014 Le soleil comme une plaque d’argent mat, Carré Sainte-Anne, Montpellier, France
Simulacrum, Gallery agnes b, New York, USA
2013 Le soleil comme une plaque d’argent, Commissariat Daria de Beauvais, Galerie St-Séverin, Paris, France
Abdelkader Benchamma, Gallery Federico Luger, Milan, Italy
The Invention of the Cave, Gallery agnes b, Honk Kong
2012 Corrupted Theories, Gallery Isabel Van Den Eynde, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2011 Le signal faible, ADN Galeria, Barcelona, Spain
Bruits de Fond, Frueshorge Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
Dark Matter, galerie du jour agnes b., Paris, France
La ligne de base du hasard, Galerie Chantiers Boite Noire, Montpellier, France
2009 The Apparent Stability of Things, Galerie Chantiers Boite Noire, Montpellier, France
All these masses are just pieces from the same...- Gallery Federico Luger, Milan, Italy
2008 Même les choses invisibles se cachent. Part 2 – CAC, Istres, France
Même les choses invisibles se cachent. Part 1 – ADN Galeria, Barcelona, Spain
Abdelkader Benchamma, Centre d’art contemporain La galerie, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
2007 Abdelkader Benchamma, Galerie du Jour agnés.b, Paris, France
They think that once they are here, it will be ... , Gallery agnes.b, Honk Kong
2005 Incidents (Invisibles), Project Room, galerie du jour agnes b., Paris, France

GROUP SHOWS (SELECTION)

2024 Le jour des peintres, Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Les lois de l’imaginaire, curated by Laure Forlay and Sophie Sizabuire, FRAC Auvergne in collaboration with the Musée d’Art et d’Archéologie, Aurillac, France
2023 Prendre le soleil, Hangar Y, Meudon, France
Neither the sky nor the earth, Lago/Algo, Mexicó City, Mexico
Metro ! Le Grand Paris en mouvement, Cité de l’architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris, France
Histoire de Pierres, curated by Jean de Loisy, Villa Medici, Rome, Italy
Constellations, Musée d’art moderne, Céret, France
Immortelle, MO.CO., Montpellier, France
2022 Ce que nous avons perdu dans le feu, Villa Arson, Nice, France
2021 Comics Trip!, Collection Lambert, Avignon, France
Un autre monde///Dans notre monde, Lieu commun, Espace d’art contemporain, Toulouse, France
2020 Un autre monde///Dans notre monde, FRAC Grand Large — Hauts-de-France, Dunkerque, France
Artistes à la Une : Togeth’HER 2021, Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France
2019 Un autre monde/// Dans notre monde, Frac PACA, Marseille, France
Eldorado - Lille 3000, Le Tripostal, Lille, France
Syncopation, Pola Museum of Art, Hakone, Japan
100 artistes dans la ville, Montpellier, France
Air, stone, water, X, Fondation Helenis, Montpellier, France
2018 Melancholia, Fondation Boghossian, Brussels, Belgium
(Un)conscious: A series of small serendipities, Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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2017 On aime l’art…!, Collection agnes b., Fondation Yvon Lambert, Avignon, France
Tamawuj, Sharjah Biennal 13, Commisaire : Christine Tohmé, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
EcoSystéme, commissaire : Mohamed Bourouissa, Château d’Oiron, France Monts et Merveilles, Le Bel Ordinaire, Pau, France
2016 Épreuves uniques, Atelier Michael Woolworth, Paris, France
Le nom d’une île, Le Pavillon Blanc, Printemps de septembre de Toulouse, Colomiers, France
A quoi tient la beauté des étreintes, FRAC Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Se souvenir des Belles Choses, MRAC, Sérignan, France
2015 a_i_d_e_-_m_ém_o_i_r_e_:_ _f_o_o_t_n_o_t_e_s_ _(_P_a_r_t_ _I_I_)_, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Un regard sur la collection d’agnes b., LAM, Villeneuve d’Ascq Traits d’esprit, Galerie du jour agnes b – Paris
Après avoir tout oublié, Asterides - Friche Belle de mai, Marseille, France
ROC, Commissariat Hughes Reip, Galerie du jour agnes b., Paris, France
Nice Drawings, Galerie Isabelle Van den Eynde – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2014 Enigme au Club de la Compagnie, Centre d’art le LAIT, Albi, France
Dans ma cellule, une silhouette, La Ferme du Buisson, Noisiel, France

2013

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2003

2001
2013 Chromophobia, Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Turbulences II - Espace culturel Louis Vuitton/ Fondation Boghossian, Villa Empain, Commissariat : David Rosenberg et Pierre Sterckx, Brussels, Belgium
The Immigrants, Giudecca - 56e Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Graphic, Phakt, Centre Culturel Contemporain, Rennes, Paris
Paper Trail, The Barjeel Foundation, Katara, Doha, United Arab Emirates
2012 Collectionner aujourd’hui, Collection Philipe Piguet, Centre d’art contemporain, Saint-Restitut
The Island/A Game of Life, Manarat al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi
2011 The Future of a Promise, 54e Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Music Covers ! , Point Ephémère, Paris, France
2010 Told/ Untold/ Retold, MATHAF, Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar
Biennale d’art contemporain Le Havre 2010, Musée Maritime, Le Havre, France
Reading Room, Nomas Foundation, Roma, Italy
Fabula Graphica, Grandes Galeries des Beaux arts, Rouen, France
2009 Memory Time, Printemps de Septembre, Là où je vais je suis déjà, Commissaire Christian Bernard, Espace des arts, Colomiers, France
Cadavres exquis - Printemps de Septembre - Fondation Espace Ecureuil, Toulouse, France
Comic Strip, Musée d’art contemporain, Sérignan, France
2008 La dégelée Rabelais, Château d’O, FRAC Languedoc Roussillon, Montpellier, France
Paperless Marks, ADN Galeria, Barcelona, Spain
Narrations, Galerie Nancy Margolis, New York, USA
2007 Explosions, Nouvelles acquisitions, Frac Languedoc Roussillon, Montpellier, France
Below the light – Galerie Federico Luger, Milan, Italie
Pas un jour sans une ligne, Collections St-Cyprien, St-Cyprien, France
Drawings and Dreamings, ADN Galeria, Barcelona, Spain
2006 Nous nous sommes tant aimés, Collections de St-Cyprien, Saint-Cyprien, France
A. Benchamma / A. Biasuto, Galerie Chantiers Boite Noire, Montpellier, France
Drawn, Xpace Gallery, Toronto, Canada
2005 Do-Ka, La Condition Publique, Roubaix, France
2004 Draw! , Commissariat Jean-François Sanz, galerie du jour. agnes b, Paris, France
Dessin? - Carré St Anne, Montpellier, France
2003 Biennale des jeunes créateurs d’Europe, Carré Sainte-Anne, Montpellier, France
2001 Dessins en cours..., ENSBA, Quai Malaquais, Paris, France

COLLECTIONS (SELECTION)

Musée régional d’art contemporain, Sérignan, France
FRAC Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
MATHAF, Musée Arabe d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Doha, Qatar
FRAC Occitanie Montpellier, Montpellier, France
DRAC Centre, Orléans, France
FRAC Languedoc Roussillon, Montpellier, France
Musée des Beaux Arts, Orléans, France

Voir plus

Barjeel Foundation, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

RESIDENCIES (SELECTION)

2018 – 2019 Villa Medicis, Roma, Italy
2017 Beirut Art Residency, Lebanon
2016 a.r.i.a Residency, Algiers, Algeria

AWARDS

2024 Finalist for the Marcel Duchamp prize, Paris, France
2018 Winner of the Occitanie-Médicis Price, France
2015 Winner of the Drawing Now Price, France
Art Collector Price, France

PROJECTS

Grand Paris Express, Vitry centre, France

Press Release

The Art Newspaper - january, 2024

Les nommés du Prix Marcel-Duchamp dévoilés

Le Quotidien de l'Art - january, 2024

Le prix Marcel Duchamp révèle ses 4 finalistes

François Salmeron

Canvas - January, 2024

Finalists for the Marcel Duchamp Prize 2024 Announced

Beaux Arts Paris - january, 2024

Abdelkader Benchamma, finaliste pour le Prix Marcel Duchamp 2024

Les Inrockuptibles - July, 2023

Les déluges sortent du cadre

Transfuge - May, 2023

Oeuvre diluvienne

Julie Chaizemartin

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News

Abdelkader Benchamma
LANDSCAPE OF THE FALL – NETHERLANDS

Solo Show

Het Noordbrabants Museum, Netherlands
From November 16 to March 9, 2025

The Het Noordbrabants Museum dedicates its very first exhibition in the Netherlands to Abdelkader Benchamma from November 16, 2024. For the occasion, the artist connects some of his works with the tradition of Dutch masters such as Jheronimus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel.

Abdelkader Benchamma
AU BORD DES MONDES – PRIX MARCEL DUCHAMP

Group show

Center Pompidou, Paris
From October 2, 2024 to January 6, 2025

On the occasion of the 24th edition of the Prix Marcel Duchamp, curated by Jeanne Brun, Abdelkader Benchamma will present his works and an in-situ installation from October 2, 2024 at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Abdelkader Benchamma
Philippe Cognée
Bilal Hamdad
Antoine Roegiers
LE JOUR DES PEINTRES

Group show

Musée d'Orsay, Paris
September 19, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Le jour des peintres, Abdelkader Benchamma, Philippe Cognée, Bilal Hamdad and Antoine Roegiers will be exhibiting their works at the Musée d’Orsay on September 19, 2024 from 2pm to 9.30pm. Orchestrated by the artist Thomas Lévy-Lasne, the event will bring together eighty contemporary painters alongside one of their works in the museum’s galleries.

Abdelkader Benchamma
Jeanne Vicerial
LES LOIS DE L’IMAGINAIRE

Group show

Musées d’Aurillac, France
From May 24 to September 21, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Les lois de l’imaginaire, curated by Laure Folzay and Sophie Sizabuire, Abdelkader Benchamma and Jeanne Vicerial will be exhibiting their work from May 24, 2024 at the Musées d’Aurillac, Les Écuries in collaboration with the Frac Auvergne.

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.

Abdelkader Benchamma
PRENDRE LE SOLEIL

Group show

Hangar Y, Meudon
From December 16, 2023 to April 21, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Prendre le soleil, Abdelkader Benchamma will exhibit two artworks from December 16, 2023 at Hangar Y in Meudon.

Jean-Michel Alberola
Abdelkader Benchamma
HISTOIRES DE PIERRES

Group show

Villa Medici, Rome
From October 13, 2023 to. January 14, 2024

On the occasion of the group show Histoires de pierres, Jean-Michel Alberola and Abdelkader Benchamma exhibit their works from October 13, 2023 at Villa Medici in Rome.

Abdelkader Benchamma
SOLASTALGIA: ARCHAEOLOGIES OF LOSS

Solo Show

The Power Plant, Toronto
From October 13, 2023 to March 24, 2024

Abdelkader Benchamma’s solo exhibition Solastalgia: Archaeologies of Loss opens on October 13, 2023 at The Power Plant in Toronto.

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Videos

Abdelkader Benchamma

Cosma
Abdelkader Benchamma

Signes
Abdelkader Benchamma

Engramme
Omar Ba Abdelkader Benchamma Norbert Bisky Oda Jaune Chiharu Shiota

From the Paper to the Wall
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