The painter and sculptor Claude Goiran was born in Nice in 1960. Self-taught artist, he is barely 10 years old when he develops a passion for rock art; he still owns his first book that introduced him to the world of prehistoric men, and particularly their mysterious paintings and engravings on the walls of caves. These paintings never cease to amaze him today.
He begins painting when he is only 16-17 years in his teenager's bedroom, while heavily influenced by surrealism and dada. At this time, the young man frequented the nissart milieu (in particular Mauris, the singer, and the Ontario Blues Band). His meeting with Ben in 1980 - following an exchange of mail art - is crucial.
Claude visits an exhibition of the cycle "Caution wet paint" which takes place in the Ponchettes gallery (Nice) and he discovers the work of Patrick Lanneau which attracted him a lot; Ben introduced him to the artist who later became a friend. After showing his own work, Claude Goiran joined "The workshop 8, rue Saint Vincent" in Nice where P. Lanneau worked (close to the famous "Bar des Oiseaux": "Birds Bar"). In 1983, the young artist exhibits himself in the cycle "Caution wet paint" (a series of "Skulls"). Thereafter, he exhibited in 1986 and 1988, in the Lola Gassin Gallery (Nice).
Leaving for Aix-en-Provence to pursue his studies in special needs educator during three years, he graduates in 1984. He moves to Paris where he meets Patrick Lanneau and stays 19 years in the capital. There, he presents a few solo exhibitions, including at the Polaris and Boulakia Galleries. During this time, he participates in many collective exhibitions in France. In 1997, he illustrates "Freedom" by Paul Eluard that is published in Flammarion.
In 2003, Claude moves in the Vaucluse, where he lives and works today, preparing - from 2010 - a final return to Nice that will be in 2013. He is currently exhibiting at the Maud Barral Nice Gallery.
Historically, Claude Goiran admires the work of Rauschenberg. He also cites Joseph Beuys, Marcel Duchamp, and many others.
Discreet man and of little word, he does not like to be put forward. The death (thus the cycle of life) is a recurring theme in his work, beautiful and profound (skull, skeleton, charnel-house, feather...). He works in series. In his pictorial journey, the meeting with Dominique Ardouin, gamekeeper in the Basque country who is the instigator of the reintroduction of vultures in the region, is of paramount importance.
Claude Goiran has a long passion for Nice culture and, is not trivial, he is interested from a long time now - by making an rapprochement (culture lost) - to the Indian culture, particularly that of the Lakota Sioux, to the animals such as wolves, ravens . . . or vultures. "The vulture added, enigmatically:" I am the first and the last of the guards; life and death, hope and despair, one that can not be rule out safely "("Guardians of Death", Tale of the Gobi desert). The artist is currently working on a new cycle, that of "Hearts" and "Colorful Cranes."
We are very pleased to discover a little of his work.
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