top of page
Acerca de
Our Support Artists
Erri DE LUCA
REZA
Rajak OHANIAN
"I am a citizen of the Mediterranean,
of its republic of the sea."
​
Erri De Luca is a contemporary Italian writer, journalist, poet and translator. In addition to his mother tongue, Neapolitan, he has learnt French, English, ancient Hebrew, Yiddish, Kiswahili and Russian, making him a polyglot. He published his first book 'Une fois, un jour' in 1989. His stories, such as 'Acide' and 'Arc-en-ciel', which combine moral rigour and great sincerity, have been widely acclaimed in Italy and France by critics and the general public alike. A major figure in Italian literature and a Neapolitan poet, he was awarded the Prix France Culture in 1994, the Prix Femina étranger in 2002 for his book 'Montedidio', the European Prize for Literature in 2013 and the Prix Ulysse for his body of work. In 2003, he was a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2014, he was awarded the Jean Monnet Prize for European Literature for his book "Il torto del soldato". Now based near Rome, Erri De Luca is one of the most widely read Italian writers in the world.
Philanthropist, idealist, he left architecture in 1979 for a commitment: «Photography at the service of humanity». Since then, he has travelled the world photographing conflicts, revolutions and human catastrophes, but also the joys and sorrows of our humanity. Published by international media (National Geographic, Time Magazine, Stern, Newsweek, El País, Paris Match, Geo...). Reza exhibits and creates major photographic art installations around the world, gives lectures at leading universities and international organizations, and participates in documentary films. In addition to his work as a photographer, Reza has been a volunteer since 1983, engaged in training in the language of images, young people and women in conflict societies and megalopolis suburbs on all continents. The beneficiaries thus become the visual storytellers of their own destiny. Its actions are supported by its associations «Aina world» and «Reza Visual Academy». Author of thirty-five books, awarded numerous times throughout his career, Reza is a Senior Fellow of the Ashoka Foundation. He is the recipient of the World Press Photo, the Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography, the Lucy Award, the University of Missouri Medal of Honor and the Doctor honoris causa from the American University of Paris. France awarded him the Medal of the National Order of Merit in 2005.
International photographer, Rajak made his first theatre photographs in 1954 with Roger Planchon at the Théâtre de la Comédie in Lyon. In 1958, he directed Les Fils du vent, a photographic investigation of the gypsy gathering at Saintes-Maries de la Mer. From 1960 to 1977, he photographed the productions of Roger Planchon, Jacques Rosner and Patrice Chéreau at the Théâtre de la Cité and T.N.P in Villeurbanne; of Marcel Maréchal at the Théâtre du Cothurne and the Théâtre du Huitième; of Humbert Camerlo and Louis Erlo at the Opéra de Lyon; of Jean Dasté and Pierre Vial at the Comédie de Saint-Étienne. He participates in the production of theatre sets, large photographic formats and projections, and continues his portraits: Orson Welles, Rouben Mamoulian, Bram Van Velde. In 1987, he directed for two years “A Chicago, portrait of a city” in the United States, where he portrayed the 8 million inhabitants of the mythical capital of the Blues, the workers' revolts, Capone and architecture. It has been exhibited worldwide: Montreal Contemporary Art Biennale, Lyon City Art Centre, Musée Nicéphore Niepce, CRAC in Sète for the ImageSingulières Festival, Galerie L'entracte in Lausanne, Fondation Bullukian de Lyon, Fort Saint-Jean in Marseille, Galerie Les Lumières in Nanterre, Théâtre de la Commune in Aubervilliers, Galerie Laurent Godin in Paris, at the ENSSIB, Galerie Domus of Villeurbanne, the Alliance Française of Chicago, the Institut d'art contemporain de Villeurbanne, Rectangle in Lyon, Le Palindrome de Paris, Le Lutrin Gallery in Lyon, etc.
Ronny SOMECK
Michel ECKHARD ELIAL
Hagit GROSSMAN
Ronny Someck is one of the great voices of contemporary Israeli poetry. He was recently appointed a Knight of the Order of the Arts and Letters. He is the author of poetry collections translated into more than forty-two languages. He received numerous awards for his nine collections: Prime Minister’s Prize, Yehuda Amichai Prize for Hebrew poetry, Wine Poetry Prize in 2005 as part of the Struga Poetry Evenings in Macedonia or the Hans Berghhuis Poetry Prize in 2006 at the International Festival Les Nuits de la poésie in Maastricht, Holland.
French poet, professor of comparative literature and doctor of textual semiotics. He is a translator of Hebrew literature. He directs the poetic review Levant-Cahiers de l'espace Méditerra néen, which he founded in 1988 in Tel Aviv and now in Montpellier, and which aims to promote dialogue for peace between the three shores of the Mediterranean.
Hagit Grossman, born in 1976 in Rishon Letzion, studied photography and Hebrew literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ben Gourion of the Negev. She now teaches creative writing at Tel Aviv University. The contemporary nature of her poetry and the close relationship it establishes with the most contemporary and popular arts (music, cinema) make the poet one of the privileged interpreters of social commitment. She represents the new generation of Israeli poetry. Her lively, contemporary tone and her taste for music and the visual arts make Hagit Grossman one of the most singular figures in Israel's poetic sphere.
Hava PINHAS COHEN
Julien BLAINE
LES SOUFFLEURS
Commandos Poétiques
Hava Pinhas-Cohen taught literature and art at the University of Jerusalem and holds a special place in contemporary Israeli poetry. Twelve books of poetry have been published to date. A guest at international festivals, Hava Pinhas-Cohen has won prestigious prizes, including the Alterman Prize in 2002, the Prime Minister's Prize in 1996 and the ACUM Prize in 1998.
Christian Poitevin, born in Rognac, is a French artist and poet. He was one of the founders of action poetry and has played an active role in performance poetry in France and abroad. Julien Blaine founded his first magazine, Les Carnets de l'Octéor, at the age of 20. He launched into performance and action poetry with Reps éléphant 306. This performance was based on an interview with an elephant, which he reprocessed onto tape. In 1989-1990, he set up the Centre internat ional de poésie Marseille (cipM), a centre for the dissemination and creation of poetry in the heart of Marseille's old town. He also played an important role in the Voix de la Méditerranée festival in Lodève, shortly after its creation in 1998.
Created by Olivier Comte, Les Souffleurs Commandos Poétiques are working on an "Attempt to slow down the world". A Franco-Japanese group of 60 artists ; 30 French, 30 Japanese, they are known the world over for their furtive commandos whispered in the languages of the countries that welcome them. They have been in artistic partnership with the Tokyo Theatre Company KAZE in Tokyo, Japan since 2008. In 2010 they were awarded the SACD Arts de la rue prize, and in 2015 the SENGHOR-CÉSAIRE prize and the medal of Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Pléiade, awarded by the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie.
Alexis GUIENGANI
A member of the Théâtre de la Fraternité in Ouagadougou, he is its artistic director and the organisational secretary of the Burkina Faso committee of the International Theatre Institute. He set up his own company, Compagnie Tchira. His experience and talent have made him one of the group's leading actors. He has taken part in major productions that have enjoyed international success with, among others, Stein Winger, Jean-Pierre Guingané, Matthias Langhoff and Otto Huber.
Solo SORO
Souleymane Coulibaly, known as Soro Solo, was born in Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire, in 1950. Until 2002, Soro Solo was a legendary cultural journalist and presenter in Côte d'Ivoire. He worked with the French radio station RFI, producing a summer programme called L'Afrique enchantée. Following the success of the show, it was renewed for three seasons in 2015. On Sunday evenings from 10 to 11 pm, Soro Solo appeared on France Inter's L' Afrique en Solo, a music programme that tells the story of the continent through its music. A talent spotter, he has helped open Europe up to African music. Since 1995 he has been a member of the General Assembly of Afrique en Créations, a French-speaking organisation that supports African artists. He also writes for the specialist journals Africultures and Rézo, the news magazine published by the Association française d'action artistique (AFAA), funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Magyd CHERFI
Born on 4 November 1962 in Toulouse, Magyd Cherfi is a French singer, writer and actor, and lyricist with the group Zebda. In 1999, during the heyday of the group Zebda, he was decorated as a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and in 2017 he was made a Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He went on to win two NRJ Music Awards (2000) for best French-language song and best French-language album with Zebda, and two Victoires de la musique awards for best original song and best new group with Zebda. In 2007, he was awarded the Prix Marguerite Audoux and the Prix Beur FM for La Trempe. In 2016, he received the Prix Le Parisien Magazine, Prix Beur FM Méditerranée and Prix des députés for his book Ma part de Gaulois.
Kiko MOTOS
Antoine Motos, aka Kiko Motos, is an author, composer and performer. A former member of the GIPSY KINGS, he founded GIPSYLAND in 1994, and from the outset has conquered the United States, where he is signed to Hollywood Records (Buena Vista / Universal). From an early age, he started out with Manitas de Plata, with whom he gave his first concerts at the age of 16. The group has appeared on several TV shows and broadcasts: CNN, Fox, Univision, Telemundo, in San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Miami, Puerto Rico, etc.; as well as at festivals: Conga Room Festival in Beverly Hills, Atlas Super Club in Los Angeles, International Convention in Dubai, Fallun Festival (Sweden), Milenio Festival (Portugal), Mont de Marsan Flamenco Festival. He has also composed music for several successful films and has collaborated with Enrique Iglesias, Cher and Anoushka, among others.
Gabi JIMENEZ
A committed painter and visual artist, he took a stand in 2010, when mass expulsions of Roma were carried out by the French government across France. He has the courage to communicate with international organisations and to plead for the rights of Roma and travellers. He created the work "Juillet 2010", a triptych dedicated to this unprecedented event. He exhibited and represented the Gypsy community in the "First Gypsy/Roma Pavilion" at the 52nd Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art. He exhibited permanent collections in 2014 Le Grand Paris at the Délégation Interministérielle/Premier Ministre in France, then YAKA at the European Court of Human Rights in France; since 2010, Gallerie KAI DIKHAS at the Kai Dikhas Foundation in Germany; in 2017 the "Gabi Jimenez" primary school was inaugurated and named after him in Avignon in France. The same year he received the Prix du Jeune Public and the Prix du Jury in Montmagny, France. In 2014, the Spanish Ministry of Culture awarded him the Prize for Painting and Other Plastic Arts in Madrid, Spain.
Isidro FERRER
bottom of page