Annette Messager

Annette Messager, a prominent French visual artist, is celebrated for her advocacy of the methods and materials of outsider art.

Biography of Annette Messager

Annette Messager was born in 1943 in Berck-sur-Mer, France. Between 1962 and 1966, she studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France. Notably, one of her early achievements came when her mother submitted one of her photographs to a Kodak competition, winning Messager an art trip around the world.

This encounter with the sparrow led to the creation of "The Boarders" ("Les Pensionnaires"), a sculptured taxidermy exhibit that marked the beginning of her career in 1972.

Messager has showcased her work widely through exhibitions and publications. In 2005, she was the representative for France at the Venice Biennale, where she garnered the Golden Lion for her Pinocchio-inspired installation that reimagined the French pavilion as a casino. In 2016, she was honored with the esteemed Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award.

In 2023, her work titled "Mes voeux (avec nos cheveux)" was selected as the promotional artwork for the Peter Gabriel song "Playing For Time." The artist currently resides and creates in Malakoff, France.

Annette Messager's Art Style

Annette Messager is recognized primarily for her installation art, which frequently integrates photographs, prints, drawings, and diverse materials. Her artistic approach challenges conventional visual arts methods like painting, instead favoring bricolage works that amalgamate media and challenge established value systems. She often employs experimental techniques traditionally associated with a "so-called feminine sensibility."

Messager has adopted various titles over the years, presenting herself as Annette Messager the Artist, the Collector, the Trickster, the Peddler, the Cheater, and the Practical Woman. She has embraced numerous marginalized techniques like knitting, taxidermy, photography, labels, and toys, crafting soft sculptures and installations. Through her art, Messager delves into how women maintain their true selves amid a world dominated by male privilege, exploring the significance of their small actions, secrets, and private rituals.