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Lot Essay
Né en 1922, Jean Benoît étudie aux Beaux-Arts de Québec puis de Montréal où son professeur, le peintre Alfred Pellan lui fait découvrir les Manifestes du surréalisme. En 1948, il cosigne ainsi le manifeste poétique Prisme d’yeux. Il rejoint le groupe surréaliste dès le retour d’André Breton de New York en 1946 puis participe fidèlement à ses expositions internationales : à celle de Paris de 1959 à 1965 mais aussi à New York en 1961. Jean Benoît s’établie à Paris avec son épouse l’artiste Mimi Parent dès 1959. La même année, en marge de l’exposition surréaliste alors consacrée à E.R.O.S. , il présente Exécution du testament du marquis de Sade, s’appliquant au fer rouge les lettres SADE avant d’être imité par Matta. Il rejoint en 1970 le mouvement Panique pour lequel il dessine des costumes. Si André Breton le citait dès 1965 parmi les dix créateurs « les plus authentiques de ces vingt dernières années », il n’accepte que tardivement d’exposer personnellement, en 1996 à la Galerie 1900-2000. Jean Benoît décède à Paris en 2011 à l’âge de 88 ans.
Jean Benoît was born in 1922 and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec and then the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. There, professor and painter Alfred Pellan introduced him to the Surrealist Manifestos. In 1948, he cosigned the poetic manifesto Prisme d’yeux. He joined the Surrealists in 1946 after André Breton returned to New York. From then on, he was a faithful participant in the group's international exhibitions (Paris in 1959 and 1965, New York in 1961). Jean Benoît settled in Paris with his wife, the artist Mimi Parent, in 1959. That same year, at the E.R.O.S. Surrealist Exhibition, he performed Execution of the Testament of the Marquis de Sade, during which he branded “SADE” onto his person, and Matta quickly followed suit. In 1970, Benoît joined the Panique movement as a costume designer. André Breton named him among the top ten “most authentic creators of the last 20 years”. Still, Benoît resisted showing his work individually until 1996, at the Galerie 1900–2000. Jean Benoît died in Paris in 2011. He was 88 years old.
Jean Benoît was born in 1922 and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Québec and then the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. There, professor and painter Alfred Pellan introduced him to the Surrealist Manifestos. In 1948, he cosigned the poetic manifesto Prisme d’yeux. He joined the Surrealists in 1946 after André Breton returned to New York. From then on, he was a faithful participant in the group's international exhibitions (Paris in 1959 and 1965, New York in 1961). Jean Benoît settled in Paris with his wife, the artist Mimi Parent, in 1959. That same year, at the E.R.O.S. Surrealist Exhibition, he performed Execution of the Testament of the Marquis de Sade, during which he branded “SADE” onto his person, and Matta quickly followed suit. In 1970, Benoît joined the Panique movement as a costume designer. André Breton named him among the top ten “most authentic creators of the last 20 years”. Still, Benoît resisted showing his work individually until 1996, at the Galerie 1900–2000. Jean Benoît died in Paris in 2011. He was 88 years old.