Bernard Alligand

Bernard Alligand was born in 1953 in Angers (Maine et Loire). He started working in graphic arts, which he did during three years, then he turned to modeling and engraving.

After exhibiting in Pays de Loire and winning several awards, he settled on the French Riviera in 1982 but set up his studio in Vence. There he met several merchants and collectors such as Jacques Matarasso, Paul Hervieu, Frédéric Gollong who will stand up for his work. He met as well, Henri Goetz who helped him improve his engraving techniques, including the carborundum technique. Pierre Wicart from "Vision nouvelle" offered him his first exclusive contract.

Based in Paris since 1993, he leaves his studio in Vence in 1996. Since 1995, with the text of poets, Jean-Pierre Geay, Tita Reut,Gaston Puel, Michel Butor ... and under the leadership of several publishers, he made many bibliophile books.

James Coignard introduced him to the workshop of Pasnic, with whom he worked on his engravings, for more than twenty years. He frequented artists including Max Papart, Pierre-Marie Brisson, Hervé Di Rosa, Arthur Luiz Piza-Hans Steffens, James Guitet, Soichi Hasegawa, Serge Hélénon, Theo Tobiasse, Andre Cottavoz and Gerard Eppelé ..

Since 1981, institutions, galleries and merchants has exhibited his work in France and abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered him an artists' residency in Finland (1994), Egypt (1998, 1999, 2000, 2006), Morocco (2001, 2002), Iceland (2007), UAE (2007, 2008), Jordan ( 2009), Laos (2012). After his journeys, he represented France at the International Biennial "Imagining the Book" at the Library of Alexandria, at the International Art Festival in Amman, as well as at the French Spring at the National Library in Reykjavik and exhibited in several French cultural centers .

He exhibited in many institutions, such as: The Castle of Aubenas (1993, 2001, 2005, 2011), Carmel de Tarbes (2003), Chapel of the Visitation Thonon-les-Bains (2004), Temple of Chaurey (2008), media library Toussaint Angers (2009, 2012), Grand Theater d'Angers (2012) ... as well as in several galleries and libraries: Matarasso (Nice), Lacan (Strasbourg), Arcades, Arenthon, Nicaise, Demange, (Paris), Dazy (Dijon ) Ducastel (Avignon), Raugraff (Nancy), Vasse (Lille), ...

He developed his relationship with the bussiness world, working for Compaq, Xerox, Socotec, Onyx, Groupe Tests, Caisse d'Epargne, Unicef, ... From his several journeys through Europe, Japan, Korea, Egypt, Morocco, Iceland, UAE, Oman, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, he brought material as well as inspirational themes. His work examines the role and properties of matter. The flowing or reflected light, exulted colors, abstraction touches representation. A work attentive to the traditions and cultures. In this, his artistic approach is modern and specific, written in a "lyrical Abstract matierist" language with an ethnological dimension.