About | Antoine Poupel | Renowned French Photographer

ABOUT ANTOINE POUPEL

Antoine was born in 1956 in Le Havre, France and lives and works in Paris.

1982 - Graduated from Diplôme National Supérieur d’Expression Plastique.
1984 -1985 Pensioner at the Académie de France in Rome
1987 - Laureate of the Leonardo da Vinci Research and Creation Grant, for Mexico and Brazil, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1990 - New Imaging Technologies, Centre National des Arts Plastiques, France
1992 - Incentive fund grant for the creation of the National Center of Plastic Arts, for the Portraits of Personalities project

His avant-garde artistic work, questioning the pictorial and chemical limits of photography has made him known all over the world and has opened the doors of the most prestigious photographic institutions as well as Crazy-Horse cabaret and the Zingaro equestrian theater.

Antoine has published numerous books and carried out numerous exhibitions in France, Russia, the United States, Europe and Japan.

AWARDS

1984-1985 - Residency, French Academy in Rome, Italy (Grant from Villa Médicis).

1987 – Grant from the « Bourse de Recherche et de Création Léonard de Vinci », for Mexico and Brazil, by Ministry of Foreign Affair.

1992 - Grant from the Creative Development by Centre National des Arts Plastiques.

COLLECTIONS

National Found of Contemporary Art, France
Regional Found of Contemporary Art, Haute Normandie, France
Regional Found of Contemporary Art, d’Ile de France, France
Fine art museum André Malraux of Le Havre, France
Fine art museum of Aurillac, France
Museum of Modern Art of city of Paris, France
Art Library of Toulouse, France
Les abattoirs, Toulouse, France
Art Center of Le Havre, France
National Library, Paris, France
European House of Photography, Paris, France
Deposit and consignment office of Picardy, France
Agnès B, France
Chanel K.K., Japon
Metropolitain Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japon
Kasama Nichido Museum, Ibaraki, Japon
Kawaguchiko Museum, Yamanashi, Japon
Musée Nicholson, Université de Sydney, Australia
Chengdu contemporary image museum, Chengdu, China
MUSARTH, Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe
ZIEM Museum, Martigues, France
Private collections

"I am concerned about the very etymology of the term photography, it is a question of painting, to draw, so the notion of author remains central in my work, if I chose the photographic medium, it is to deconstruct his mechanical character, reintroducing the part of the artist who uses light as a pictorial material. The monotypes that I realize undergo various treatments, which make them unique but while reinforcing their photographic specificity. I act with chemistry as a painter with its palette, this one is always the receptacle (the revealer) of the light with
which I draw. " Antoine Poupel

SHOWS & EXHIBITIONS

1984

Studio 666 Gallery, Month of Photography, Paris, France.

1985

Rondanini Gallery, Rome, Italy.
Villa Médicis, Rome, Italy (catalogue).
Studio 666 Gallery, Paris, France.

1986

André Malraux Museum of Fine Arts, Le Havre, France.
Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery, Paris, France.

1987

Art Center of Le Havre, France (catalogue).

1988

Academy of Fine Arts, Leningrad, USSR.
Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
French Institute, Mexico City, Mexico.

1989

Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery, Paris, France.

1990

Art Center of Le Havre, France (catalogue).

1991

Contemporary Art Center of Rouen, France.
Hôpital Éphémère, Paris, France.

1992

National Assembly, Paris, France.
Cité internationale des arts, Month of Photography, Paris, France.

1994

Photographic Center of Île-de-France, Pontault-Combault, France (catalogue).

1996

Zingaro, Aubervilliers, France (catalogue).

1997

Le Volcan, Le Havre, France.
Saga, Espace Eiffel Branly, Paris, France.
Paul Ricard Contemporary Art Center, Paris, France (catalogue).
University of Amiens, France (catalogue).

1998

Zingaro, New York, USA.
Conference Hall, Paris, France.

1999

Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg, Russia. 2001
Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France (catalogue).
Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.
Month of Photography, Dieppe, France.
National Library, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Photography Museum, Moscow, Russia.
Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan.

2002

Kasama Nichido Museum, Ibaraki, Japan.
Kawaguchiko Museum, Yamanashi, Japan.
Ongaku-Do, Kanazawa, Japan.
Nichido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
“Pour Annick,” Tokyo, Japan.
Nichido Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan.
Month of Photography, Dieppe, France.

2004

A Taste of Art Gallery, New York, USA.
Cité internationale des arts, Month of Photography, Paris, France.

2005

Red Brick Museum, Yokohama, Japan.
Kasama Nichido Museum, Ibaraki, Japan.
French Institute, Tokyo, Japan.

2006

Tokyu Department Store, Tokyo, Japan.
AB Gallery, Paris, France.

2007

Zingaro, Aubervilliers, France.

2008

Chanel Nexus Hall, Tokyo, Japan.
Zingaro, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong, China.
Promenades Photographiques, Vendôme, France.
Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.

2009

White Room Gallery, AC Salon, Tokyo, Japan.
Dexia, Tokyo, Japan.

2010

European House of Photography, Paris, France.
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.

2011

Espace 54 Gallery, Paris, France.
Zingaro, Aubervilliers, France.

2012

Gallery 48, Lyon, France.
L’Amour de l’Art Gallery, Paris, France.

2013

Maëlle Gallery, Paris, France.
Dufay/Bonnet Gallery, Paris, France.
White House, Luxembourg.

2014

Grenier à Sel, Honfleur, France.
Konnô Hachiman Jinja, Tokyo, Japan.

2015

Art Works Paris-Seoul Gallery, Seoul, South Korea.
Les Champs Libres, Rennes, France.
Sakurado Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
Émilie Dujat Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
AS2, Geneto, HUB Kyoto, Japan.
Maëlle Gallery, Paris, France.

2016

Les Champs Libres, Rennes, France.

2017

Jeanmichelberlin Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
Gare de Lyon, Paris, France.
&co119 Gallery, Paris, France.
Diesel Shibuya, Geneto The Wall, Tokyo, Japan.
Galerie Jeanmichel, Pirmasens, Germany.
Rochexpo, Zingaro, La Roche-sur-Foron, France.

2018

Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.
La Galerne, “Répétitions,” Are You Experiencing festival, Le Havre, France.
French Embassy, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Opéra, “Répétitions,” Rouen, France.

2019

Le Phare National Choreographic Center, Le Havre, France.
Are You Experiencing festival, guest of honor, Le Havre, France.
Photography Museum, guest of honor for its 20th anniversary, Graçay, France.
Media Library, Martigues, France.

2020

Polka Gallery Factory, Paris, France.
Château de Fère, Fère-en-Tardenois, France.

2021

Torture Garden, Are You Experiencing festival, Le Havre, France.
Pole Spirit, Paris, France.
19 Paul Fort, Paris, France.

2022

Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, France.
19 Paul Fort, Paris, France.
Zoia Project, showcase, Monaco.

2023

AB Gallery, Photo Saint-Germain, Paris, France.

2025

20 Thorigny Gallery, Paris, France.
Basia Embiricos Gallery, Paris, France.

2026

Haras du Pin, Zingaro, France.
Grataloup Museum, “Between the World,” Chevreuse, France.
Le Carrelot, La Romieu, France.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1981

“Young Painting Show,” Montrouge, France.
André Malraux Museum of Fine Arts, Le Havre, France.

1982

“Imaginary Presentation,” Georges Pompidou Center, Paris, France.

1983

Art Center of Le Havre, France.

1984

André Malraux Museum of Fine Arts, Le Havre, France.

1985

“Génération Polaroïd,” Pavillon des Arts, Paris, France (catalogue).
Studio 666 Gallery, Paris, France.
Salon d’Art Contemporain, Montrouge, France.
Ferri di Cavallo Gallery, Rome, Italy.

1986

Sala Uno, Rome, Italy.
“Young Painting Show,” Montrouge, France.
Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy.

1987

Abbaye aux Dames, Saintes, France.
“Hybride en photographie,” Gérard Philippe Cultural Center, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France (catalogue).

1988

Sástago Palace, Zaragoza, Spain (catalogue).
Cité internationale des arts, Month of Photography, Paris, France.
“La photographie et le photographique,” Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, France (catalogue).
“Materia Prima,” FRAC PACA, Marseille, France (catalogue).
Délégation aux Arts Plastiques, Paris, France.

1989

Rencontres Photographiques, Tours, France.
11th Trégor Photography Festival, L’Imagerie, Lannion, France.
“Salon des anonymes,” Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery, Paris, France.
Art Fair, Marquardt Gallery, Los Angeles, USA.

1990

“Le Corps, le Sacré,” Arcade, Research Center for Art and Contemporary Creation, Carcassonne, France.
Torch Gallery, Ghent Art Fair, Belgium.
“Espíritu y carne,” Jorge Albero Gallery, Madrid, Spain (catalogue).
French Institute, Innsbruck, Austria.
French Institute, Vienna, Austria.
French Institute, Alexandria, Egypt.
Warmoesstraat 139, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Hôpital Éphémère, Paris, France.

1991

“Erotic Desire,” Perspektief Gallery, Rotterdam, Netherlands (catalogue).
“Erotic Desire,” Brutto Gusto Gallery, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
“Erotic Desire,” Kritzraedthuis Museum, Sittard, Netherlands.
“Écran Icône,” Espace Art Brenne, Concremiers, France.

1992

Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery, Paris, France.
Sala Uno, Rome, Italy.

1993

Art Jonction, Slotine Gallery, Cannes, France.
Beeldman Gallery, Naarden-Vesting, Netherlands.
Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.

1994

Isabelle Bongard Gallery, Paris, France.
Le Sous-Sol Gallery, Paris, France.

1995

Palais Bénédictine, Fécamp, France (catalogue).
Slotine Gallery, Le Havre, France.
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Villa Médicis, Rome, Italy (catalogue).

1996

“Formes de l’invisible,” Couvent des Cordeliers, Paris, France.
Espace Electra, Month of Photography, Paris, France.
Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.

1997

Mexican Cultural Center, Paris, France (catalogue).
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Basel Art Fair, Paviot Gallery, Switzerland.

1999

“La lumière même,” Photographic Center of Lectoure, France.
Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.

2000

Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.
St’art, Slotine Gallery, Strasbourg, France.

2001

Hôtel d’Albret, DRAC, Paris, France.
Photographic Space, Palace of Arts, Nogent-sur-Marne, France.
Art Paris, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France.
FIAC, F&A Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Paris Photo, F&A Paviot Gallery, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France.

2002

Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.
Museum of Fine Arts, Rouen, France.
Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.
Basel in Miami, Achim Moeller Gallery, Miami, USA.

2004

Nichido Gallery, Nagoya, Japan.

2005

Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.
Crypt of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, Lille, France.
Town Hall of the 8th Arrondissement, Paris, France.
F&A Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Épreuve d’Artiste Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon.

2006

Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.

2007

Parisartphoto, Citadel of Blaye, Blaye, France.
Parisartphoto, Espace Lhomond Gallery, Paris, France.
Jean-François Aittouarès Gallery, Paris, France.

2008

“Variations équines,” Château de Nogent-le-Rotrou, France.
Jean-François Aittouarès Gallery, Paris, France.
Le Havre Biennial Off, Docks Café, Le Havre, France.
Grand E’terna Gallery, Paris, France.
“Une histoire partagée,” Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France.

2009

Nivet-Carzon Gallery, Paris, France.

2010

Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.

2011

Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.
Guigon Gallery, Paris, France.
Nicholson Museum, University of Sydney, Australia.
Tarquinia Gallery, Trouville, France.

2012

“Accalmie,” Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Month of Photography, Paris, France.
Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris Photo, Paris, France.
Gallery 48, Lyon, France.
“Mirages,” Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.

2013

“Code Noir,” FRAC Haute-Normandie, Rouen, France.

2014

Françoise Paviot Gallery, Paris, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Paris, France.
“L’inventaire, vol. 4,” FRAC Haute-Normandie, Rouen, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, KIAF, Seoul, South Korea.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Art Éditions, Seoul, South Korea.
Sakurado Fine Arts Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
“Jamais deux fois…,” Town Hall, Choisy-le-Roi, France.

2015

“Encres…,” Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, KIAF, Seoul, South Korea.
Art Works Paris-Seoul Gallery, KIAF, Seoul, South Korea.
Maëlle Gallery, fotofever, Paris, France.
Émilie Dujat Gallery, fotofever, Paris, France.
Shibuyaegges, Tokyo, Japan.
“God’s Creatures,” Maëlle Gallery, Paris, France.

2016

“Vista Méridionale,” Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, Lille, France.
Art Exchange, Candid Arts Trust, London, England.
“Voluptés,” Émilie Dujat Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
Harald Vlugt Collection, Villa Aurenjo, Orange, France.

2017

Tahiti Photography Festival, Papeete, French Polynesia.
La Chapelle, Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Art Élysées, Paris, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Paris Photo, Paris, France.

2018

“Around Japon VI,” 19 rue Paul Fort, Paris, France.
“i.collection,” La Chapelle, Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines, France.
Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Seoul, South Korea.
“Post-conceptions érotiques,” Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.

2019

Nichido Gallery, Paris, France.
“Landscape,” La Chapelle, Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines, France.
“Vista Méridionale 3,” Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, Lille, France.
Bad Rappenau Museum, Germany.

2021

Baudoin Lebon Gallery, Paris, France.
“Hommage à Sam,” 19 rue Paul Fort, Paris, France.
Sylvia Rielle Gallery, Zoia Project, Paris, France.

2022

Torture Garden, Le Havre, France.
Zoia Project, Barge, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Zoia Project, Galerie Éphémère, Paris, France.
Emprise Gallery, Marseille, France.
Saosign Gallery, Château de Rochefort, Rochefort-en-Yvelines, France.

2023

Studio Huguet et Villevieille, Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette, France.
Musarth, Guadeloupe.
Crypt of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, Lille, France.
Clac Art Contemporain, Espace Bateau-Lavoir, Paris, France.
“Re-Wild 3,” Château de Rochefort, Rochefort-en-Yvelines, France.

2024

Gallery 12, Paris, France.
Mondial du Rhum, Palais de la Bourse, Paris, France.
“Re-Wild 4,” Château de Rochefort, Rochefort-en-Yvelines, France.
Château d’Asnières, with Olivier Deresse, Asnières-sur-Seine, France.
“40 ans Zingaro,” Musée Ziem, Martigues, France.
“Sainte Face,” Crypt of Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, Lille, France.
Clac Art Contemporain, MSPACE Gallery, Paris, France.
“Portraits,” Basia Embiricos Gallery, Paris, France.

2025

“Body of Paris,” Sylvia Rielle Gallery, Paris, France.
“Portraits,” Akié Arrichi Gallery, Paris, France.
“Symbiosis,” Olala Works Gallery, Singapore.
“Choisis ta monture,” 50 Thorigny Gallery, Paris, France.
Clac Art Contemporain, Vantaggi Studio, Paris, France.
Château de Rochefort, Rochefort-en-Yvelines, France.
“Home Cooked Nudes,” Rachel Hardouin Gallery, Paris, France.
“Re-Wild 5,” Château de Rochefort, Rochefort-en-Yvelines, France.
“Mosaic Tales,” Olala Works Gallery, Singapore.
“Amor,” La Cachoterie Gallery, Cachan, France.
“Poupées momies,” Thierry Cauwet Studio, Paris, France.
Olala Works Gallery, Affordable Art Fair, Singapore.

2026

“The Beauty of Horses,” FCCJ, Tokyo, Japan.
“Les Zoographes,” La Cachoterie Gallery, Cachan, France.
“Fire Horse,” Ten Gallery, Knokke, Belgium.
“Les métamorphoses d’Ovide,” Jocelyn Le Creurer Studio, Eu, France.
Leo Balzac Agency, Paris, France.

SOLO CATALOGS AND BOOKS

Catalogue Images 1982–1985, with texts by Jean-Claude Bélégou, Michel Nuridsany, and Marie-Domitille Porcheron. Includes the catalogue Travaux antérieurs réalisés au Havre 1983–1984 as an appendix.
Catalogue Images et Hommages 1986–1987, with texts by Giuseppe Cannilla, Christian Gattinoni, Marie-Domitille Porcheron, and Raoul Ruiz.
Catalogue Révélation, with texts by Gilbert Lascault and Marie-Domitille Porcheron, 1990.
Catalogue Dix ans après, with a text by Alain Lemetayer, 1990.
Catalogue Portraits, with texts by Jean-Claude Bélégou, Démosthène Davvetas, Alain Fleischer, Richard Fournet, Gilbert Lascault, Jean-Claude Lemagny, Gabriel Matzneff, Alain Lemetayer, Pierre Restany, and Gérard Xuriguera, 1994.
Book Chimère, on Zingaro, in collaboration with Marc Enguerand, with a text by Françoise Gründ, 1995.
Book Chamane, on the film by Bartabas, with a text by Michel Boujut. Éditions Médianes, 1996.
Book Éclipse, on Zingaro, with a text by Françoise Gründ, 1997.
Catalogue Images et Structures, with texts by Régis Durand, Gilbert Lascault, and Marie-Domitille Porcheron, 1998.
Book Histoires Naturelles, with a text by Jean-Claude Bélégou, 1999.
Book Triptyk, on Zingaro, with texts by Françoise Gründ and André Velter, 2000.
Book L’art du nu, on Crazy Horse, with a text by Gilbert Lascault, 2001.
Catalogue Meurs, ressuscite, by Antoine Poupel and Vladimir Bryliakov, with a text by Emmanuel Daydé. Paris Audiovisuel, 2001.
Book Illusion et érotisme de Paris. Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, 2002.
Artist’s book Rose ouverte, with texts by Gilbert Lascault. L’Art Pénultième, 2002.
Book Loungta, on Zingaro, with texts by Françoise Gründ and André Velter, 2003.
Book Histoire naturelle des peaux, 2003.
Catalogue Portraits, Yokohama, 2005.
Catalogue Portraits, Tokyu Department Store, Tokyo, 2006.
Book Battuta, on Zingaro, with texts by Françoise Gründ and André Velter, 2006.
Book Antoine Poupel, photographie Zingaro, with a text by Bartabas. Éditions du Chêne, 2007.
Catalogue Saison 5, with a text by Richard Collasse, 2008.
Book Crazy Inside. Éditions du Chêne, 2011.
Catalogue Portraits, Colas, Paris, 2012.
Artist’s book Un cinquième climat, with texts by Gilbert Lascault. Akié Arrichi, 2014.
Artist’s book De quoi parlent les chimpanzés, with a text by Boris Cyrulnik. Les Cent Une, 2016.

IN THE NEWS, ON THE NET

La Dépêche du Midi — 29 June 2026
Antoine Poupel peint la lumière
A feature on Peindre la lumière at Le Carrelot in La Romieu, exploring Antoine Poupel’s Japanese landscapes and his longstanding collaboration with Zingaro.

Le Journal du Gers — 27 June 2026
Antoine Poupel — Photographies / Peindre la lumière
An illustrated presentation of Peindre la lumière, bringing together the series Zingaro and Saison 5, with a text by Anne-Marie Sudry.

Musée GRATALOUP — 2026
Entre les Mondes — GRATALOUP & Antoine Poupel
Painting and photography meet in an exhibition exploring light, transformation, and the relationship between the visible and the invisible.

Région Île-de-France — 2026
Entre les Mondes — Antoine Poupel in the Museum Gardens
A presentation of Antoine Poupel’s outdoor photographic exhibition at Musée GRATALOUP, featured in Jardins Ouverts 2026.

Galerie Basia Embiricos — 2025
Cinquième Saison
A journey through the landscapes and seasons of Japan, transformed through photographic layering and a painterly approach to light.

Galerie AB — Published 2025; exhibition held in 2023
L’univers de Sam Szafran dans l’objectif d’Antoine Poupel
An intimate tribute to Sam Szafran through photographs of his studio, reworked with the late artist’s own pastels.

L’Œil de la Photographie — 2024 exhibition coverage
Musée Ziem : Zingaro, 40 ans d’histoires partagées
Four decades of Zingaro through the photographs of Antoine Poupel, Alfons Alt, and Alain Sauvan, celebrating the imaginative world of Bartabas and his equestrian theatre.

ART at Berlin — 31 August 2017
Antoine Poupel | Crazy Inside
A presentation of Crazy Inside, Antoine Poupel’s exhibition at Galerie Jean Michel in Berlin.

Baudoin Lebon
Antoine Poupel
An artist profile featuring photographs from the Crazy Horse series and biographical information, including his 1984–1985 residency at the French Academy in Rome.