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Pierre Bergian (born 1965) is a Belgian painter. After studying Art History and Archaeology at the University of Ghent he moved into painting in his mid-thirties, as a painter he was autodidactic but had from very early on he had a strong interest in both painting and architecture. He lives in Bruges, Belgium. '''Life and Career Early life''' Bergian was born in Bruges, Belgium before moving to Ghent for his further studies at the University of Ghent, Hoger Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis en Oudheidkunde. Bergian initially worked as an archaeologist in Bruges and Ghent, specialising in mediaeval archaeology, where he also published several articles on Antwerp Majolica and Delft Tiles. He then moved into writing on architecture and design in 1990. He moved back to Brussels when he was 35 years old to pursue both writing and painting.

Career His first solo show was in 1997 at Gallery Durant-Kotek, Brussels (the gallery closed in 2000). He then had shows in Lille, Paris,, Netherlands and London.

In 2006 he had a solo show in the Quartier Latin in Paris, in Galerie Laurent de Puybaudet. He held two further exhibitions at the Galerie of Laurent de Puybaudet in 2008 and 2013, of his paintings depicting architectural interiors and mountains. In 2007 he held his first solo shows at London’s Purdy Hicks Gallery and Galerie Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam. He had a further solo exhibition at Galerie Josine Bokhoven in 2009, and has held exhibitions at Purdy Hicks Gallery in 2010 and the exhibition ‘Pictures of Paintings, Paintings of Pictures’ in 2013. Pierre Bergian is currently represented by Purdy Hicks Gallery, London and Galerie Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam.

Style and Influence Pierre Bergians paintings are stylised figurative paintings, most often oil on panel. He uses the paint thinly and the ground is often visible in areas of his painting, as are the pencil marks and other signs of the artists’ hand. Pictures of Paintings, Paintings of Pictures, was shown at Purdy Hicks Gallery in 2013 – in this series Bergian painted almost-empty interiors where paintings (hung on the walls, or leaned against them) and sparse furnishings are the subject of the series of works. Dr. Frances Borzello – the London-based critic and author Frances Borzello ‘The Naked Nude’ (Thames and Hudson Ltd, 2012) writes - in the catalogue that accompanied the 2013 exhibition - ‘Pierre Bergian paints empty rooms. Well, not completely empty. Sometimes there is a solitary piece of furniture, a ladder, a piano, a table, but these seem to do little more than add to the emptiness.’ Although he paints many types of interiors, he frequently features museums and studio spaces – ‘Though sometimes inspired by a specific place, Bergian’s rooms are a composite of spaces which have attracted him.’ Bergian cites Italian surrealist Giorgio de Chirico as an inspiration, but perhaps more closely related to his works are the paintings by Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershoi. Hammershoi and Bergian share an interest in the architectural details and decorative features of domestic interiors, they also both display a sensitivity to, and understanding of, the effect of light within space and furthermore in painting.

Public Collections British Museum Permanent Collection. Prints and Drawings (two works) acquired in 2013 British Museum permanent collection database, retrieved 18 January 2014.

Solo Exhibitions 2013	    Pictures of Paintings, Paintings of Pictures, Purdy Hicks Gallery 2013	    Galerie Laurent de Puybaudet. 2011	    Galerie Ephémeert, Paris 2010	    Purdy Hicks Gallery, London 2009	    Galerie Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam 2008        Galerie Laurent de Puybaudet, Paris 2007        Purdy Hicks Gallery, London 2007        Galerie Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam 2006	    Galerie de Puybaudet, Paris 2005 	    Maison Franck Delmarcelle, Paris 2005	    Galerie Libéral Bruant, Paris 2004 	    Galerie Libéral Bruant 2003 	    Arte Capelli’s, Hertogenbosch 2003	    Galerie Godart, Lille 2002        Galerie Hotel de Bondeville, Paris 2001        Galerie Hotel de Bondeville, Paris 2000	    Galerie Godart, Lille 1997 	    Gallery Durant-Kotek, Brussels

Publications Dr. F. Borzello, Picture of Paintings, Paintings of Pictures exh. cat. (London, Purdy Hicks Gallery, 2013) ISBN 978 1 873184 697 Ruud van der Neut, Pierre Bergian, Tableau, March 2007 Dirk Martens, Interieur Stillevens, De Standaard, 10 March 2006 Paul Piron, Dictionnaire des Artistes plasticiens de Belgique des XIX, XX siècles, Brussels, 2011

External Links www.purdyhicks.com www.geleriejosinebokhoven.nl www.pierrebergian.com www.artnet.com www.artadoo.com www.francesborzello.co.uk/.../in-pierre-bergian-purd... www.artrabbit.com/all/events/event/.../pierre_bergian www.artlyst.com/.../pierre-bergian-pictures-of-painti... www.johnjones.co.uk/.../pierre-bergian-dra... www.britishmuseum.org/research/.../search.aspx?...