Charlélie Couture

Biography

Charlélie Couture (born Bertrand Charles Elie Couture; 26 February 1956) is a French and American musician and multi-disciplinary artist, who has recorded over 25 albums and 17 film soundtracks, and has held a number of exhibitions of paintings and photographs. He has also worked as a poster designer, and has published approximately 15 books of reflections, drawings and photographs.

Life and career

He was born in Nancy, and graduated from l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He released his first album, 12 Chansons dans la Sciure ("12 Songs in the Sawdust") in 1978, followed by Le Pêcheur ("The Fisherman") in 1979 and Pochette surprise ("Lucky Dip") in 1981. He was then signed by Chris Blackwell to Island Records, becoming the first French artist on the label. He recorded the album Poèmes Rock in New York, and also contributed a track to the album A Christmas Record issued by ZE Records, an affiliate of the Island label. He had a hit single in France with the track Comme un Avion Sans Aile.
Also in 1981, he founded, in Nancy, the Local à Louer group of photographers, painters, poets, and stated in his "Art Rock manifesto" that "Art must make the junction between the functionalism of industrial society and the aspirations of pop culture". He also launched an art journal, Le Télégramme. In 1983, he wrote his first complete film soundtrack, for the movie Tchao Pantin ("So Long, Stooge"), for which he was nominated for a César Award. He held his first exhibition of drawings and watercolours in Paris in 1985, and continued to record and tour. In 1990–91 he visited Australia, recording two albums there, Melbourne Aussie and Victoria Spirit.
Later in the 1990s, his recordings were less successful and he concentrated more on photography, drawings and paintings. In 1997 he recorded a blues-influenced album, Casque Nu ("Naked Helmet"), in Chicago. In 1998, he was awarded the title of Officier du Mérite National. He worked extensively preparing posters and publicity for tennis tournaments, including the posters for the 2002 Davis Cup Final between France and Russia. In 2004, he settled for several years in New York, from where he released two albums, Double Vue (2004) and New Yor-Cœur (2006).
In April 2020 he announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Summary of Artistic Creations

www.theregallery-nyc.com
www.meetcharlelie.com
Education and conferences
1973 – Leaves home and goes on the road for a year
1974 – Graduates " Art Baccalauréat " from outside the high school system.
1979 – Graduates with honours from the Beaux-Arts DNSEP
Jury for many conventions and festivals including the American film Deauville
2000 – Conference to the European Commission about Art and Culture
2004 – Conference " Conversations Essentielles " " " Faith %26 Culture " Paris
2007 – Beaubourg Art Pocket Film, 2006, Québec Festival 1998 etc...
2008 – Conference " Conventions Essentielles " Music and Creation, Paris
2011 – Conference " The Multism ", New York and Lecture " Discourse about The Multism ". La Sorbonne / Paris
Solo Exhibitions
1971: First painting and photo exhibit
1985: First exhibit in Paris, drawings and watercolors of "Chambres d'hotels", Galerie Du Jour/Agnès B
1989: Galerie " Halle Sud " of Geneva
1989: Exhibit Multimedia engravings/sculptures/paintings/musics/drawings/photos/texts
1991: Australian paintings and photopoems, Galerie Jean D'eve, Neuchatel (Switzerland)
1991: Galerie Atsuro Tayama (Paris) France
1993: "Chambres d'hôtels", drawings paintings, Galerie Nachbaur, Paris
1993: "Chambres d'hôtels" drawings, in Geneva, Galerie Papiers gras
1994: Galerie Ziggourat, Brussel (Belgium) "Chambres d'hotel"
1995: Galerie Gastaud, Clermont Ferrand France
1995: Avignon France Cloitre des Arts (Sculptures and drawings)
1997: Drawings and paintings et the Galerie Wable in Boulogne sur Mer
1997: Retrospective of "Chambres d'hotels Polaroids" Château Lumière, Lyon / France
1997: Fondation Nationale de la Photo, Lyon France (Photo-poems)
1998: Gallery Akka, rue de Seine, Paris, France
1999: Publicis / Champs Elysées (Tennis drawings)
1999: Museum of Erotism – Paris "X Positions" (photos, paintings)
2000: Gallery Wable, Lille and Boulogne sur Mer
2000: Lyon, Galerie Chomarat (paintings and drawings)
2000: Clermont Ferrand, Galerie Gastaud
2001: Galerie Capazza Nancay, inaugurates a new wing of his huge Gallery.
2002: Museum Le Corbusier – La Chaux de Fond (Switzerland)
2003: Gallery SOTO Brussels (Belgium)
2003: Gallery Ô, Pozzo Di Borgo Vevey (Switzerland)
2003: Laval Museum (France) Retrospective Exhibit on CharlElie's "L'art Total"
2004: Galerie Wable, Lille France
2004: Galerie Sparts, rue de Seine Paris
2004: Move to New York.
2004: Art Basel Miami – French Tuesday Art Night
2004: Gallery Art at Home, Soho, New York
2005: Opens his Art Studio in the Garment district
2005: "Living with Art", Soho, New York (USA)
2007: Galerie Ô, Vevey (Switzerland)" New York Shields %26 Paintings"
2007: "Re Construction", Galerie Mourlot, New York (USA)
2008: "Art Floor" Photos, Galerie Agnes Martel, Switzerland
2008: "Re Construction Paintings and Photos", Crid'Art, Amneville, France
2009: "Photos New York" "Mosaïque de Photo" La Collégiale Saint-André/Chartres Curated by Nadine Berthelier Directeur des Arts et du Patrimoine culturel et historique, Conservateur en Chef du Patrimoine
2009: "Shower Curtain and Photos" Maison Française/Washington
2009: "New York, Photo-Grafs", Galerie Beaudoin Lebon, Paris
2010: "New York on lines " Galery A.del, Lyon, Biennale de la photographie
2010: "Drawings and photografs " Galerie Antonio Nardonne, Brussels, Belgium
2011: Permanente exhibition, The Re Gallery, New York, USA
2011: Salon Balt'Art, Nogent sur Marne France
2011: AAA Galerie, Nogent sur Marne France
2011: "New York Be" Galerie W Paris France
2011: Salon d'Art contemporain Metz, A'del Gallery, Lyon France
2011: Salon d'Art contemporain Strasbourg, Galerie Nomade Monade France
2011: "Peintures et Photografs" Galerie Naclil, Lille France
2011: "Re-Construction" Dune Showroom, New York, USA
2012: CharlElie Black Art curated by Nomade monade- Lille Artfair
2012: Big Panel Photo-graff- Paris LCL
2012: Sept-installation "Manhattan" a project with 100 wood sculptures, France
Various
1982: Editor of the performing arts newspaper the Telegramme
1983: Nomination to the Cesar show for his soundtrack of Claude Berri film Tchao Pantin
1988: Actor and songwriter for the film "The Moderns" (USA) by Alan Rudolph
1993: Inauguration FNAC in Avignon, " Photos d'hotels ", traveling exhibit in France
1994: Conception and drawing of the new Logo for the Lorraine Region
1994: Creation of fans for the galerie La Pochade, Paris France
1995: Creation of CD ROM "Papers works", exhibit in Metz
1995: Creation a fresco for the opening of the FNAC in Nancy
1995: Bézier Museum exhibits a work on cardboard entitled "Knoxville USA"
1995: Designing the sets and costumes for the show "Concert Naïf au pays des Anges" at the Théâtre National de L'Odéon
2001: Participation in the creation of the "Livre de Roland Garros 2001" – set of photos of the greatest photographers – William Klein, texts by Patrice Dominguez and drawings by Charlelie
2003: Creation of poster for the Davis Cup Final (France-Russia)
2006–2009: Creates posters for FFT, and tennis tournaments
2010: Poster for "Le Palais Ideal du Facteur Cheval"
Group Exhibitions
1978: Salon des artistes indépendants Paris
1981–1986: Founder of an artists group called "Local a Louer" including painters, poets, graphic artists and photographers publishing of the " Manifeste de l'Art Rock " Numbers of exhibitions Paris, Tours Lille, Nancy
1997: Eurexpo show, Geneva, Switzerland
1999: Creates a watch-box for Swatch / Paris Place Vendôme
2000: International Art Market in Strasbourg
2003: "Sport Tools" for an Art Exhibition during the Olympic Games of Athens 2004
2006: "Crossings" at Living with Art NYC Soho. (With Thurman & Pascal)
2007: New York Art Floor with Peter Klasen (Photos) Metz (France)
2008: "Shower Curtains" ACMDM, centre d'Art Contemporain in Perpignan, France
2008: Temple Emmanu-El of Closter, Brooklyn
2009: Group show/FACEBOOK'S FRIENDS a virtual reality /Curator Michael Picoron
2010: "New York by" Galerie W, Paris devoted to L'Angelus, Barbizon, 100 artists salute Millet
2010: Street Artak street Art Festival, Angers
2010: Exhibitions, Art for a Better World, Miami, FL, Artbasel
2011: Exhibitions "Mail Art" drawings – SpArtS Gallery Paris
Publications
1984: Collection of drawings entitled " Cahiers d'Ecoles " reproduced on " alugraphie " paper though the art publisher, Voix R Meier
1989: "Solo Boys and Girls", a collection of songs texts with original photographs and drawings Seghers Editions
1989: "Les dragons en Sucre" Novel – Ramsay Pauvert Editions
1992: Book of photographs "Do not disturb", Marval Editions Plume
1992: Book of drawings "Jimmy Jacket" Art Editions, R Meier
1995: "25 images secondes" Illustrations for a novel by Hervé Eparvier, Serpent à Plume Editions
1995: Book of poetical reflections " Inventaire Paradoxal des petits plaisirs et de grandes haines " Stock Editions
1996: "Les Champs Paraboliques" on line. First version of the Web site CharlElie.com (Charlelie is one of the pioneer of the art web-site)
1998: "Filles de jour" Marval Éditions, Illustrations and texts in parallel with the photographs of Martial Lorcet
1998: "Le couloir des brumes", Novel Pré aux Clercs Editions
1999: "Transfocus" digital photographs accompanied by a CD Rom with original recordings FNAC Publishing
1999: "Beaux Gestes ", Tennis Drawings Pré aux Clercs Editions
2000: Creation of posters for Jean Pierre Cassel performance, and for various sports tournaments in ad abroad France (Tunisia)
2004: Artistic Travel notebook "En Australie", publisher Presse de la Renaissance
2009: Manhattan Photo-grafs Special Edition Book, L&N Editions
2009: "New York by CharlElie " Publisher Editions du Chêne, book, Photography
2011: "New York Be" Publisher Editions du Chêne, book, Photography
2012: " Et avant" (And Before) CharlElie (author), Serge Bloch (illustrator)
Selected articles and reviews
"Les chemins parallèles", first book written by Alain Gilson about his multi-work. Published by Pierre-Marcel Favre –Switzerland 1988.
Selected catalogues
1992: "Australian Roadbook " Galerie J Lovera (France)
1993: "Chambres d'Hotel" Galerie Nachbaur, Paris France
2006: "Atelier Newyorcoeur ", Presse Litteraires, France
2007: "30 années de regard" Galerie Capazza, Nancay, France
2007: "Re Constructions" Galerie Moulot, New York, USA
2007: "New York" Ô Quai des Arts Galerie, Vevey Zwitzerland
2010: "Follow the Line" Publisher RentingArt, reflexion about CharlElie's art prospective