For the first time, sculptures by Anne Barrès, born in Rodez, are being auctioned on Tuesday, April 14th at the Hôtel Drouot.
The Art Valorem auction house will disperse the entire studio collection of sculptor Anne Barrès, born in 1938 in Rodez, at the Hôtel Drouot on Tuesday, April 14th. This will be the first time the artist’s works will be offered for public sale. This exceptional auction, accompanied by a monographic catalogue established by Frédéric Bodet and edited by Art Valorem, marks a significant event for collectors and contemporary sculpture enthusiasts.
Anne Barrès is a pioneering figure in French contemporary sculpture. Trained at the Montpellier Fine Arts School in the early 1960s alongside Vincent Bioulès and Claude Viallat, she later studied ceramics at the Bourges Fine Arts School under Jean Lerat. Her sculptural work, spanning over fifty years, consistently explores the boundaries of materials, focusing on the body, its resistance, endurance, and fragility. Her monumental sculptures have been exhibited in major French institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Modern Art Museum in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, the Denys-Puech Museum in Rodez, and the Departmental Museum of Oise in Beauvais. Some of her works have been acquired by the National Contemporary Art Fund (FNAC).
The auction features 146 lots comprising the entire studio collection of Anne Barrès, including sculptures and drawings. Estimates range from 150 to 12,000 euros, with notable pieces like Claustra, 2011, among the most monumental works. The auction will open with a bas-relief from 1970 titled “La Création,” composed of elements in grès enamel laid out on a wooden base.
