Biography and main exhibitions

Born in Rognac, France, in 1942, Julien Blaine, at the registry office Christian Poitevin, began his artistic production in the early 1960s by addressing the theme of the relationship between word and image. Eclectic and experimental, he’s a visual and sound poet, performer and international events organizer. In 1962 he made his first performance entitled “Reps elephant 306”, which is nothing more than an interview with the elephants from the circus Franchi, followed by the action “Target poem” in which involves the present audience. In 1962 he began his publishing activity by founding the magazine “Les Carnets de l’Octéor” and at the same time collaborating with Ben Vautier on “Identité”. In 1966, together with Jean Francois Bory, he founded “Approches”, which he closed in 1969, followed by “Robho” in 1967, with Jean Clay and Alain Schifres, and “Geronymo” in 1970.
Among his most important publications there is Doc(k)s: a monographs series written to define the poetic experiences collected in different parts of the World. Over the years, he has established collaborative relationships with various Italian visual poets with whom he has ventured into the production of performances. 

In 1983 he joined the Logomotives Group, together with Alain Arias Misson, Jean Francois Bory, Paul De Vree, Eugenio Miccini, Sarenco and Franco Verdi, with whom he participated in numerous exhibitions. He directs the V.A.C. (Ventabren Art Contemporain) and was the animator of the sound poetry festivals of Avignon (1977, 1978, 1979), Cogolin (1984, 1985, 1986), Allauch (1987) and Tarascon (1988 to 1993). He has been co-organizer of the Lodève festival since 1997.Among his most important personal exhibitions: “Galerie Lara Vincy” (Paris, 1979, 1992, 2002), “Franklin Furnace” gallery (New York, 1980), Centre Pompidou (Paris, 1982), “Studio Morra” (Naples, 1986), “Mercato del Sale” (Milan, 1987), “Galerie Meyer” (Marseille, 2004), “Studiobrescia” (Brescia, 2004), “Espace à vendre” (Nice, 2004), “Berardelli Foundation”. (Brescia, 2008), “Clivio Gallery” (Milan, 2018).