Bronze Animals
Polyester Animals
Biography
Eric Valat is a French sculptor who lives and works in Toulouse, France.
He was born in Rodez, Aveyron, in 1961. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Toulouse and was the sculptor Arthur Saura’s pupil.
He graduated in 1985. His first exhibition was in 1985, at the Cimaises Gallery in Paris. The years following his studies were those of experimenting in the advertising field and graphic arts. Eric Valat worked for the biggest advertising companies of the South. He would also work for architects in situ (shops, restaurants, hotels, real estate…). His first public orders will come from his land of birth, the Aveyron, in Conques (Docteur Fau’s bust) and in Sainte Radegonde (Town hall). He created in 1990 in Arreau three pieces, part of the first rural art project in France. He then created for the towns of Aucamville and Fenouillet bas-reliefs and sculptures for cultural structures. In 1995, the Regional Council of Midi-Pyrénées ordered from him the Rugby Team’s French Champions trophies, which are since, handed over every year. More pieces would come from 2000: – – Toulouse, « Garibaldi’s Bust » – Fronton, « The Picker » – Fenouillet, « The Muse » – Seilh, « The Golfer ». Other sculptures are set in roundabouts, « Meteorite », in Ariège, « Atlas » in Luzenac, Lozère « Marie d’Aubrac » in Chauchailles.
In 2008, he created his tallest sculpture to date (8 metres high), “The Bird Tree” in Muret, a poetic tribute to Clément Ader. Then he created a tribute to Saint Exupéry in Péchabou (4 meters high), at the heart of the village. A huge bull of 4 meters high took its place in Fenouillet the same year. Over the past ten years, Eric Valat has created a lot of pieces for private collections and companies.
In 2011, the Abilly Foundry ordered from him “St M” and “Toro”, which he created with BREZC. In 2012, he sculpted “The messager” for Sonovision headquarters in Bordeaux and “the Surveyor” in Fontvielle. In 2013, a private sponsor ordered a giant giraffe of 3 meters high for his garden. Since 1985, Eric Valat has been exposed regularly in Midi Pyrénées and in Toulouse (Espace Alcamène, Galerie Abstrait, Galerie Art et Espace, Galerie Art Sud). Since 2002, he has had several exhibitions in Paris and Côte d’Azur, in Art Fairs and at Ooeil, Alain Juno’s Art Space. Since 2003, his work has been regularly sold at the auction house Drouot in Paris, for Néret-Minet young Contemporary Creation, with Mr Jean Richard Mattes. In 2007, he joined Marie France Baylet’s association « Toulouse Atout Cœur ». Through the latter, he participated in many exhibitions at the Capucins Abbey in Montauban and at charity auction sales in Toulouse. In 2012, he set up his own exhibition space next to his workshop.
CV
Education
- National School of Fine Arts in Toulouse (student of sculptor Arthur Saura), France
- School of Visuals Arts Expression, Toulouse, France
Exhibitions
- 2019 – Inauguration of a monumental sculpture in the public area, Toulouse, France
- 2018 – Exhibition in Galerie Valat Brezc, Toulouse (France)
- 2015 – Salon Artoulous’expo, collective exhibition, Toulouse (France)
- 2015 – Inauguration of Galerie Valat Brezc, Toulouse (France)
- 2015 – International Contemporary Art Salon ART3F Nantes, Nantes (France)
- 2014 – Collective exhibition with the artist Brezc, Montauban (France)
- 2014 – “En dialogue” : Collective exhibition with the artist Brezc, Toulouse (France)
- 2014 – Solo exhibition, Galerie 170, Poitiers, France
- 2013 – Collective exhibition, Workshops Open doors, Aucamville (France)
Articles
Introducing Éric Valat
If he hadn’t been a sculptor, Eric Valat would have been a poet. But as the artist doesn’t care for boundaries, he has fun incorporating poetry...