In parallel, since 1980 Hucleux has been producing "deprogramming" drawings that he creates intuitively, without any plan, trying to get to a forgotten memory, hidden in the brain of all men. In 1990, he began the Squares series, drawn with Indian ink on the back of a square canvas of 2 X 2 meters.
From 2005 to 2009, Virgile Novarina regularly visited him, camera in hand, in his house filled with singular works and objects. This film is the first documentary entirely dedicated to this unique artist. There, Hucleux spontaneously shares his passion for painting, his encounter with Vlaminck, the choice of his artist name, his dyslexia and his extraordinary gift. He invites us to a journey through more than 60 years of creation, from his early childhood drawings to his last work in progress.
Hucleux Retrospective at the Beaux Arts Museum in Dole, 2009
The work of Jean Olivier Hucleux was revealed to the art world on June 30th, 1972 in Cassel, during the
unveiling of the great exhibition "Questioning reality - pictorial worlds today. d5, documenta 5". Seven
years later, Pontus Hulten, director of the Musée National d'Art Moderne, invited Hucleux to show his
work in "Copie conforme ?" at the Georges Pompidou centre, alongside Chuck Close and John De Andrea. His
portrait written by Hulten, focuses on the unfinished character of the work "Upon consideration, only a
closer examination of the painting can reveal the metaphysical vision of a completely transfigured
reality... By his own admission, Hucleux wishes he would never have to stop. He could continue and
prolong this cold, visionary penetration of the image. Living, ad infinitum, the continuous experiment
of day and night, from shadow to light. Experiencing it until knowing no more, being the painter who is
experiencing the unreached consciousness of the after, of the beyond". If there is a reproduction of the
image, it is only to go beyond representation, to evacuate the multiplicity of appearances, the
anecdote, and remove what is opaque. The work of Hucleux consists in going "towards what will be never
be a result nor a picture, but the process of painting itself, the retrieved intensity of a presence".
Camilo Racana, Catalogue of Hucleux retrospective at the Musée des beaux Arts de Dôle and the Villa Tamaris, 2009 (extracts).
After studying Mathematics and Physics, Virgile Novarina (born in 1976) devoted himself to the artistic
exploration of his own sleep through writings and drawings, and the sleep of others through photographs
and videos. He has published six books of "Ecrits et dessins de nuit" (Night’s Writings and Drawings)
and has exhibited his work in France, Germany, Portugal and the United States. Since 2006 the very act
of sleeping has become an integral part of his work, through the “En Somme” (French language pun,
meaning "all in all" or "sleep in progress") series of performances, during which he sleeps publicly in
shop windows, galleries or museums.
In 2002 Virgile Novarina befriended Jean-Olivier Hucleux, whom he regularly filmed from 2005 to 2009. "Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l'oeuvre" (from the work to the artwork) is his first documentary. Previously he made "Autour du sommeil" (Around sleep 2004, 12 min.), a short film unfolding on the course of one day whose only characters are sleepers and yawners.
Website of the film Around Sleep (12', 2005)
Website of the film Deep into Sleep (39', 2016)
Virgile Novarina and Hucleux (photo: Monique Pignet)
Works & Process is a collection of monographic DVDs dedicated to contemporary artists, published by
a.p.r.e.s production and headed by Gilles Coudert. Each monograph proposes to discover and understand
the approach of a creator through different documentary takes, including some of the artist’s
unpublished films and archives. The first titles have been dedicated to Daniel Buren, Fabrice Hyber,
Tadashi Kawamata, Bernard Lallemand, Francis Alÿs, and Kimsooja.
Hucleux DVD features:
1) Jean Olivier Hucleux, From the Work to the Artwork, 2010, 60', by Virgile Novarina
2) The Question of the Double, 1996, 12', by François Garcia
As part of a cycle of lectures entitled "The Question of the Double" held at the school of Fine Arts in Le Mans, in 1996, François Garcia filmed Jean Olivier Hucleux drawing a lead pencil portrait of Didier Mauger.
3) Digital Deprogramming, 2005, 5', by Alban Roul
After twenty years of research with deprogramming drawings, jean Olivier Hucleux started using the computer to further his approach, with the help of his son Jean-Louis. During the "Digital Deprogramming" exhibition held at the Galerie Edouard Manet in Gennevilliers from November 25, 2004 to January, 8, 2005, Alban Roul filmed the conference given by the artist and his son.
More information on the Works & Process collection : www.apres-production.com
More information on the Hucleux DVD and orders : www.apres-production.com/edition_hucleux.htm
The International Art Book and Film Festival (FILAF) aims to bring together, to celebrate and to award
prizes to the best books and films covering art, which have appeared all over the world in the last
year. The festival takes place in the historic centre of Perpignan, a city in the south of France, on
the Spanish border, right next to the Mediterranean Sea. The festival focuses on international creations
from the French and English speaking worlds in a very wide range of domaines : contemporary art,
photography, design, dance, cinema, modern art, ancient art and primitive art. FILAF is an independant
festival organised by The COGITO Association.
Films in competition :
Marina Abramovic, The Artist is Present, Matthew Akers, 2011, USA
Orsay, Bruno Ulmer, 2011, France
Mendelsohn’s incessant visions, Duki Dror, 2011, Israël
Charlemagne Palestine, The Golden Sound, Anne Maregiano, 2011, France
Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l’œuvre, Virgile Novarina, 2011, France
Eames, The Architect and the Painter, Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey, 2011, USA
Les Authentiques Fausses Têtes de Modigliani, G. Donfrancesco, 2011, Italie
Léonard de Vinci, la restauration du siècle, Stan Neumann, 2012, France
Gerhard Richter Painting, Corina Belz, 2012, Allemagne
FILAF 2012: directed by Sébastien Planas and organised by the COGITO association at the cinema Le Castillet and the Centro Espagnol. Jury 2012 : Xavier Cannone, Fabrice Hergott, Guillaume Houzé and Pierre Thoretton. President of Honour : Catherine Millet. Guest of honour : Nathalie Heinich.
FILAF d'Or : Mendelsohn's incessant visions, Duki Dror (Israël)
FILAF d'Argent : Marinia Abramovic, the Artist is Present, Matthew Akers (U. S. A)
Prix spécial du jury : Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l'œuvre Virgile Novarina (France)
Coup de cœur du FILAF : Somewhere to disappear, Laure Flammarion (France)
Prix d'honneur du FILAF 2012 : Adrian Maben (UK), pour l'ensemble des ses films sur l'art
More information : filaf.com
Embracing art & ecology, the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival (CGIFF) takes place in the
pristine Pacific North West along the Columbia River. Founded as the Washougal International Film
Festival in 2008 by Breven Angaelica Warren, the festival combines public screenings with small forums
to engage in a dialogue of social issues and cultural exchange through the powerful language of film in
all genres. In 2013 the CGIFF will be held in downtown Vancouver, WA focusing on historic as well as new
parts of the city.
More informations : www.angaelica.com
Official sélection (over 60 minutes) :
|
Alberton B. Paine (New Zealand)
Aqua Seafoam Shame V. Grey (Canada) Beyond the Grave D. de O. Pinheiro (Brazil) Call of Babylon J-W. Noble (UK) The Cardboard Bernini O. Stone (USA) Circle the Wagen R. S. Green (USA) Death By China 2,0 P. Navarro (USA) The Descending K. Thompson (USA) Forget Us Not H. E. Connell (USA) A Furever Finkel 80m (USA) I am Secretly an Important ManP. Sillen (USA) I Love You, Apple, I Love You, Orange H. Kim (USA) Jean O. Hucleux, from the Work to the Artwork VN (Fr) Kathy’s Love A. Troyanskaya 60m (Russia) |
Kosmopolites H. M. Straubinger (Indonesia/Austria)
Last Paradise, Global Quest C. Neeson (NZ) Pasadena W. Slocombe (USA) Reality Is What It Is S. Zimbrek (Croatia) Salt ‘Sal’ D. Rougler (Chile) Saturnalia G. Mercado (USA) Talking Story M-R. Phan-Le (USA) Target of Opportunity J.D. Leete (USA) Thursday’s Speaker G. Hebert (USA) Transmigration S. Schiffer (USA/Brazil) Tribewanted Sierra Leone J. Sarno (USA) Twice R. Fritz (USA) Tyme, Aspects of Home N. Bosworth (USA) Where Have All the Mermaids Gone N. Kramer (USA) |
Best of Fest: Forget Us Not
International Documentary Award: Jean Olivier Hucleux, from the Work to the Artwork
The Bullet Award: I Love You, Apple, I Love You, Orange
Walt Ratterman Humanitarian Award: Talking Story
Narrative Feature: Thursday's Speaker
Founded two years ago in Philadelphia by the filmmaker Fel Angel, the Creative Arts Film Festival (CAFF)
is an annual international online film festival that is designed to showcase and promote filmmakers.
Creative Arts Film Festival runs every December online. They are 7 categories : Animated film,
documentary, drama, experimental, horror, science fiction and thriller.
More informations : www.creativeartsfilmfestival.com
2013 Documentary Films selected :
Encounter in a Forgotten Country, by Hanspeter Aliesch, 58 mins, Switzerland
Jean Olivier Hucleux, from the Work to the Artwork, by Virgile Novarina, 60 mins, Fr
Leading Lines, by Paulina Piwowarek, 8 mins, Canada
ReelHeART International Film Festival is worldwide independent film festival held every June in Daniels
Spectrum, Toronto, Canada. Daniels Spectrum (formerly Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre) is a platform
for cultural exchange and collaboration. It is a place where people come to be inspired, to learn, to
share, to create. It showcases artistic talent, acts as an incubator for creativity and a workshop for
social and cultural innovation. There are 13 categories of Competition. Feature and Short Narratives
such as: Drama, Comedy, Black Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Film Noir, Satire, Animation, Experimental, Music
Videos, as well as Feature and Short Documentary, Profiles, Underground and more. ReelHeART brings a
cultural mix of dedicated sponsors, media and filmgoers to our events and establishes long-term
relationships. This adds to the cultural and creative exchange from planning stages to launch of every
Annual ReelHeART International Film Festival (ReelHeART).
More informations : www.reelheart.org
2014 official selection (over 60 min):
|
45 RPM Dir. Juli Jackson (USA)
Seven Days (שבעה ימים) Dir. Oded Raz (Israel) Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l’oeuvre Dir. Virgile Novarina (Fr) A Song for You Dir. Silvia Malagrino and Sharon Karp (USA) William’s Lullaby Dir. Nicholas Arnold (Canada) Alumbrones Dir. Bruce Donnelly (Brazil, USA) Breaking Through Dir. Cindy L. Abel (USA) Perfect Strangers Dir. Jan Krawitz (USA) IGGSTOCK Dir. Tracy German (Canada) Across Dot Ave Dir. Mark Ezovski (USA) Common People Dir. Stewart Alexander (UK) Une Histoire Banale Dir. Audrey Estrougo (Fr) Confessions of a Womanizer Dir. Miguel Ali (USA) Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus Dir. Tim Mahoney (USA) |
2014 Best Short Documentary: Jean Olivier Hucleux, from the Work to the Artwork
Created in 2011 by Peter Murfet, Richard Harris, Emily and Christopher Abbott, the Southampton
International Film Festival (SIFF) wants to celebrate the diversity of film culture and to showcase new
talents in all areas of filmmaking. The SIFF likes to facilitate films that show off a huge array of
artistic talent getting their moment to shine on the big screen and connect with an audience. There are
four categories: Feature Film, Short Film, Documentary and Animation.
More informations : www.southamptonfilmfest.com
2014 Documentary selection:
|
A Curious Life, UK. Dir: Dunstan Bruce
Out of Nothing, USA. Dir: Chad DeRosa LoveTrips, Austria/Switzerland. Dir: Carlo Pisani Senza Tregua, Italy/Switzerland. Dir: Dimitris Statiris A Different Kind of Farm, USA. Dir: Caroline Harding Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l'oeuvre, France. Dir: Virgile Novarina Roger McGowen, Condamné à Mort # 889, France. Dir: Nicolas Pallay |
2014 Best Short Documentary: Virgile sleeps, Dir. Jean Seban, France
2014 Best Directing in a Documentary: Out of Nothing, Dir. Chad De Rosa, USA
2014 Best Editing in a Documentary: Roger McGowen, condamné à mort #889, Dir. Nicolas Pallay, France
| 2023 | Bordeaux | Screening at Château Pallettes on the occasion of the opening of the Jean-Christophe Sekinger and Martial Bécheau exhibition on July 7, 2023. http://monoquini.net/ |
| 2022 | Dijon | Screening at the Ecole Nationale Supérieur d'Art et de Design (ESAD), on the occasion of the back-to-school workshops on October 5, 2022. https://ensa-dijon.fr/ |
| 2020 | Saint-Gaudens | Les Rencontres du film d'art, January 23 - 26, Cinéma Le Régent, 16 Rue de l'Indépendance, 31800 Saint-Gaudens, France. http://www.lesrencontresdufilmdart.com/ |
| 2018 | Alençon | Scène Nationale 61, exposition Recto Verso, 30 mars. Plus d'infos : http://www.scenenationale61.com |
| 2017 | Montpellier | Drawing Roomn La Panacée, 13-19 septembre. Plus d'infos : http://lapanacee.org/ |
| 2016 | Flers | Galerie du collège Jean Monnet, du 5 décembre 2016 au 6 janvier 2017, exposition "Jean Olivier Hucleux & Virgile Novarina, une amitié artistique", dans le cadre du réseau PANORAMA. 193 Rue de Domfront, 61100 Flers. Plus d'infos : http://panorama-espaces-art-actuel.blogspot.fr/ |
| 2016 | Tours | Auditorium du lycée Saint-François, Monday june 6th, 10:30 |
| 2016 | Cali, Colombie | Instituto de Bellas Artes, Av. 2 Nte. #22 Norte28, April 26th, 15:00. http://www.bellasartes.edu.co/ |
| 2016 | Cali, Colombie | Cinémathèque du Musée de la Tertulia, No. 5- Oeste, Cra. 1 #3 Oeste105, April 25th, 18:30. http://museolatertulia.org/ |
| 2016 | Cherbourg | Galerie du lycée Jean-François Millet, 8 - 31 march, exhibition Jean Olivier Hucleux & Virgile Novarina, Réseau Panorama, rue de Bougainville, 50130 Cherbourg-Octeville. http://panorama-espaces-art-actuel.blogspot.fr |
| 2015 | Tours | Auditorium du lycée Saint-François, May 19th. |
| 2015 | Berlin | Berlin Underground Film Festival, March 8th. https://www.facebook.com/ |
| 2015 | London | International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, february 26th, 11:00, Screening room 1, West Ham Conference Centre, Boleyn Ground, Green Street, London E13 9AZ. http://www.filmmakerfestival.com/ |
| 2015 | Vimoutiers | Galerie d'art du collège Arlette Hée-Fergant, Art Gallery, Arlette Hée-Fergant High School, february 2nd 14:00. http://www.fergant.clg61.ac-caen.fr |
| 2014 | Thrissur, India | IMA International Film Festival, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Hall, Thrissur, 680020, Kerala, december 9-11th. http://imafilmsociety.webs.com |
| 2014 | Southampton, UK | Southampton International Film Festival, Screen two, University Rd, Southampton SO17 1BJ, Sunday, October 19th at 14:45. The Will of Henri Bourneuf, 15 mins, UK. Dir: Louis Jopling, Jean Olivier Hucleux, from the Work to the Artwork, 60 min, France, Dir: Virgile Novarina. £5 for a festival single day pass. |
| 2014 | Soissons | West Arsenal Museum, rue Saint Jean, France. 09/12 - 11/16. Screening in the exhibition "Jean Olivier Hucleux, à la pointe du crayon". Free entrance. http://www.evasion-aisne.com |
| 2014 | Toronto, Canada | Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto M5A 2B7, Tuesday, june 24th at 7:00 pm, "Marie et les Gargouilles", Dir. Nicholas Trame (Fr), "Mousse", Dir. John Hellberg (Sweden), and "Jean Olivier Hucleux, du travail à l’oeuvre" Dir. Virgile Novarina (Fr). Tickets $ 12 Each. http://reelheart.org/ |
| 2014 | Tours | Amphithéâtre du lycée St François, 20/02 14:00, http://www.ndlr.fr http://www.sainte-ursule.fr |
| 2013 | Chauny | Espace Rabelais, 25/10 20:30. http://www.histoireaisne.fr |
| 2013 | Chalon-sur-Saône | Musée Vivant Denon, 11/10 - 3/3/2014. http://www.legrandchalon360.fr |
| 2013 | Vancouver, USA | Public Library, 17/08 14:00, Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. http://www.angaelica.com |
| 2013 | Paris | Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS), 75005 Paris, 17/06/2013 20:00. http://www.ens.fr |
| 2013 | Bremen | Galerie Mitte im KUBO, Beim Paulskloster 12, 28203 Bremen, Deutschland. 24/05/2013 - 14/07/2013. http://www.galeriemitte.eu |
| 2013 | Sérignan | Musée Régional d'Art Contemporain Languedoc Roussillon, 146 avenue de la Plage, 34410 Sérignan, 18/05 21:30. http://mrac.languedocroussillon.fr |
| 2013 | Paris | Atelier Z, Centre Culturel Christiane Peugeot, 62 avenue de la Grande Armée, 75017 Paris, 18/05 16:00. http://www.atelier-z.org |
| 2013 | Aurillac | Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie, Les Écuries, 37 rue des Carmes, 16/05 10:00. http://www.aurillac.fr |
| 2013 | Samois-sur-Seine | La Samoisienne, 7 bis avenue de la Libération, 30/03 20:30. www.samois-sur-seine.fr |
| 2012 | Perm, Russia | Museum, "Contemporary French Painting : combinations of history", 2/11 - 16/12: www.permm.ru |
| 2012 | Moscou | National Center for contemporary Art (NCCA) : www.ncca.ru |
| 2012 | Saint-Denis | Université Paris 8 : www-artweb.univ-paris8.fr |
| 2011 | Paris | Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts de Paris (ENSBA) : www.ensba.fr |
| 2011 | Paris | La Matrice : www.jeanseban.fr |
| 2011 | Chartres | Amphithéâtre du Lycée Marceau : www.lycee-marceau.com |
| 2011 | Pontault Combault | Atelier de la Cour Carrée : www.pontault-combault.fr |
| 2011 | Saint-Denis | Le 6b : www.le6b.org |
| 2011 | Paris | Société Civile des Auteurs Multimédia (SCAM) : www.scam.fr |
| 2011 | Chartres | Les P'tits Papiers, Friday, February 11, 2011 at 9pm free entry. Screening organised by the iCi & Là association, 23 rue de la Clouterie, in Chartres. More information : ici-et-la.over-blog.fr |
| 2011 | Paris | Agence du Court Métrage, January 7th, screening preceded by a short film by Jean-Christophe Cohen. |
| 2010 | Bruxelles | Galerie Sans Titre - 100 Titres, from November 6th to December 24th, uninterrupted screening from Thursday to Sunday from 2pm to 7pm as part of the “Jean Olivier Hucleux, Dessins : Portraits, Square, Epiphanie, Déprogrammations” exhibition, 2 rue A. Cluysenaar, 1060 Brussels. More information : www.100titres.be |
| 2010 | Auxerre | Théâtre - scène conventionnée d'Auxerre, June 10th. For the launch of the exhibition « Les chemins du dessin », le Centre d’art de l’Yonne et le Théâtre, scène conventionnée d’Auxerre have been showing a preview of the documentary on the work of Jean Olivier Hucleux directed by Virgile Novarina. This film enables an encounter with a complex artist whose most recent work is being presented in the service quarters of the castle of Tanlay until September 26th, 2010. |
| 2009 | Paris | Grand Palais, fiac 2009, from October 22nd to October 25th, looped screening of the chapter “Public gardens” at the Guillaume gallery booth. More information : www.galerieguillaume.com |
Grand Palais (Paris), Théâtre (Auxerre), SCAM (Paris), Lycée Marceau (Chartres),
ENSBA (Paris), Université Paris8 (Saint-Denis), NCCA (Moscou), Castillet (Perpignan)