FABIENNE VERDIER

A well-known French abstract artist, Fabienne Verdier was born in Paris, France in 1962. Rebellious by nature, Verdier graduated from her art school in Toulouse with a first-class degree in 1984, and was subsequently awarded a study grant to learn calligraphy in Chongqing as part of a student exchange program between the two cities. However, when she arrived at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing she discovered that calligraphy was not taught. Through grit and determination she managed to convince two former calligraphers to teach her, spending her spare time copying reproductions of famous Chinese texts. She stayed in China for ten years, winning research grants to continue studying, all the while absorbing the culture and travelling extensively throughout the country. These experiences and her training in calligraphy undoubtedly influenced her artistic direction, and gave her a unique perspective on the dynamic between Eastern and Western art. In 1989, in recognition of her accomplishments in calligraphy she was made a member of the National Calligraphers’ Association, the only foreign member, and invited the following year to take part in an international calligraphy exhibition at the National Art Museum in Beijing. In 1992, she returned to France, where she currently lives and works.