Denis Savary is an artist whose interests span several disciplines. His practice includes drawing, animation, video, sculpture, installation and mise en scène.
His work abounds with references to history, art history, literature and the most little-known myths. Between memories and imagination, he draws his inspiration from sources as varied as cultures and materials, which he borrows and uses to create his hybrid works. In his quest to explore and experiment, Savary combines his literary recollections with science and fine arts in order to build his own narratives.
Among the artist’s many special themes, animals regularly appear in his formal vocabulary: Maldoror II (2016) and Eustache (2017) or Lokis (2016) tell us stories that are not always easy to grasp, tinged as they are with reinterpreted, transformed elements of our collective memory.
From his very personal use of video as an introversion process – beginning with a moment, thought or emotion that he interweaves with citations and references that are sometimes imperceptible – to the conception of his exhibitions, involving multiple allusions and associations, Savary’s work presents itself as an art puzzle whose full meaning only the artist knows. The titles he gives to his creations open an extra door into his abundantly inventive imaginary world.
Denis Savary is a visual arts graduate of the École cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL, 2004). He received the Swiss Art Award in 2007. After a residency at the Palais de Tokyo in 2006-2007, his creations were exhibited in many institutions in Switzerland and abroad: the Musée Jenisch (2007), Centre Pasquart (2010), the Kunsthalle Bern (2012), the Swiss Institute in New York (2015) and the Printemps de septembre festival in Toulouse (2015). More recently, he presented solo exhibitions at the Musée d’art modern et contemporain in Geneva (MAMCO) and the Swiss Cultural Centre in Paris. He lives and works in Geneva.
His work abounds with references to history, art history, literature and the most little-known myths. Between memories and imagination, he draws his inspiration from sources as varied as cultures and materials, which he borrows and uses to create his hybrid works. In his quest to explore and experiment, Savary combines his literary recollections with science and fine arts in order to build his own narratives.
Among the artist’s many special themes, animals regularly appear in his formal vocabulary: Maldoror II (2016) and Eustache (2017) or Lokis (2016) tell us stories that are not always easy to grasp, tinged as they are with reinterpreted, transformed elements of our collective memory.
From his very personal use of video as an introversion process – beginning with a moment, thought or emotion that he interweaves with citations and references that are sometimes imperceptible – to the conception of his exhibitions, involving multiple allusions and associations, Savary’s work presents itself as an art puzzle whose full meaning only the artist knows. The titles he gives to his creations open an extra door into his abundantly inventive imaginary world.
Denis Savary is a visual arts graduate of the École cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL, 2004). He received the Swiss Art Award in 2007. After a residency at the Palais de Tokyo in 2006-2007, his creations were exhibited in many institutions in Switzerland and abroad: the Musée Jenisch (2007), Centre Pasquart (2010), the Kunsthalle Bern (2012), the Swiss Institute in New York (2015) and the Printemps de septembre festival in Toulouse (2015). More recently, he presented solo exhibitions at the Musée d’art modern et contemporain in Geneva (MAMCO) and the Swiss Cultural Centre in Paris. He lives and works in Geneva.
