SURREALISM/1924-1969 / Oscar Dominguez, Marcel Duchamp, René Magritte, Yves Tanguy, etc. SCHOOL OF PARIS/1945-1960 / Jean Degottex, Georges Mathieu, Nicolas de Staël, etc. NEW REALITIES / 1946-1956 / Etienne Béothy, Marcelle Cahn, César Domela, Antoine Pevsner, etc. LYRIC ART, ABSTRACT, TACHISM/1950-1960 / Jean Degottex, Georges Mathieu, Jackson Pollock, Emil Schumacher, Emilio Vedova, etc.
In 1926, Camille Bryen was a young telegraphist ; he was not yet 20 years old when he came to Paris in order to met Surrealists. Born in Nantes in 1907, he published a first collection of poems, “Opopanax”, in 1927. In 1932, he published again: “Experiences”, gathering poems, drawings and collages. This book preceded the automatic drawings.
Two years later is organized in Paris, his first exhibition with drawings and collages. Coming next numerous exhibitions in various Salons, hold conferences, carried out, in 1936, his first tachist work. This same year, Bryen took part in the 20th celebration of the dadaisme (Sorbonne, Paris). He signed the manifesto “dimensionniste” with Arp, Duchamp and Picabia as co-signatories. At that time he was regarded as a post-dadaïste poet. He worked with Ubac. Very active, he wrote, published and drew.
In 1948, Bryen organized the “lyric abstraction” - first-exhibition which was created the previous year (“non-representation psychique”). He started etching and in 1949 oil painting, with the feeling of a free expression without limits. In 1950, although he published his most famous work “Héréphile”, he stopped writing and devoted himself only to his pictorial activity.
After the second world war, he took part in many Salons, biennial, collective exhibitions, in France and abroad; many personal exhibitions were devoted to him (London, Paris, Milan, Nantes, etc). Bryen illustrated various works of literature, specially with splendid colored etchings. Bryen’s art evolved, going until a delicate and measured abstraction.
