CPC Small Print Show: Christine Gendre-Bergère

This blog is part of a series of interviews of participating artists / printmakers in the Chicago Printmakers Collaborative Small Print Show.

Christine Gendre-Bergère was born and raised in Orleans, France, and moved to Paris to study, work, and raise a family. A largely self-taught artist, she has worked in intaglio printmaking and illustrating, notably in the communications field. She engraves on copper plates and uses different techniques, including etching, drypoint, mezzotint, and aquatint. When printmaking, Christine reveals that she explores the possibilities of the juxtaposition of several plates -- a game with transparency, movement, and evolution.

Christine Gendre-Bergère.
Self-portrait with an apron--1958-2008. 2008.
Edition: 10. Etching, 2 colors, paper, 15" x 15".

"If I delightfully use the most traditional intaglio techniques (dry point, mezzotint and aquatint), it is to better explore the mundane, the refusal of the orderly and disorderly status quo and the lightness of day-to-day existence.

"I draw my inspiration from two main sources: literature and everyday life. I edited an artist's book based on a novel by Samuel Beckett, Molloy, for which I created a series of etchings. My other interest is everyday life and social norms, with humor and a touch of noir, in the tradition of early printmakers such as Goya and Daumier. For example, L'avenir est Radieux, (The Future is Bright) is an alphabet book of vowels, using 'A for Aviaire'(Avian flu), 'O for Ozone,' and so forth. The true tale of Cinderella (text and print) offers an impertinent and feminist reading of the Perrault tale.

"In 2008, I worked on Hiroshima's theme Black rains, a series of prints at the frontier of war and peace, literature and movies."

Christine Gendre-Bergère.
I'm acting in a film. 2008.
Edition: 6. Etching, 2 colors,
paper, 15" x 22".

Christine is represented by the following galleries in France:
La Hune-Brenner (my main galery)
3 rue Ravignan
75018 PARIS
Métro : Abbesses
tél. 33 (0) 1 43 25 54 06

Galerie Michèle Broutta
31 rue des Bergers
750015 PARIS
Métro : Javel
tél. 33 (0) 1 45 77 93 71

L'espace du dedans
28 rue de Gand
59000 LILLE
tél. 33 (0) 3 20 14 38 89

Her recent exhibitions in France include: Recent prints, Centre de santé Jean Moulin, Champigny, 2008; Nevertheless - recent prints, Mairie d’Orsay -La Bouvêche, 2008; Pluies noires - suite gravée, Galerie La Hune-Brenner,
2008; Images gravées, images roulées, Hommage à Samuel Beckett, Librairie Le Merle Moqueur, Paris, 2006.

Christine Gendre-Bergère. The cat of Apollinaire.
2008. Edition: 10. Etching, paper, 11.8" x 15.7".

For more information on Christine and her art, visit the following:
Christine's website www.cgb-gravure.com
Art Point France, gallery on the web www.artpointfrance.org/bergere/index.htm