PARIS.- On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the death of Belgian sculptor, Pol Bury (1922-2005), the Espace Fondation EDF is hosting a retrospective of the artist’s work, his first in Paris since 1982.

From 28 April to 23 August 2015, the exhibition Pol Bury – Instants donnés (a title in homage to Marcel Duchamp) brings together some 80 works representative of the unusually inventive career of one of the fathers of kinetic art and international sculpture.

On display is half a century of creation: sculptures, installations, fountains, jewellery, maquettes, photographs, archival films, etc.

Over the course of his artistic career, Bury perpetually renewed his perspectives, experimenting with epochs and disciplines, questioning space and time through movement, as well as the privileged relationship between the art object and its observer.

Of a generation who proclaimed admiration for Calder's mobiles, Pol Bury is undoubtedly one of those artists whose works were inspired by the former both in terms of their humour and poetry.

The sculptor Pol Bury was born in the province of Hainaut, Belgium and began his career as a surrealist painter, which he quickly abandoned in order to devote himself to the art of movement, becoming one of the leading kinetic sculptors of the twentieth century.

The artist chose to settle in Paris despite several significant stays in the United States between 1966 and 1971, particularly in New York and Berkeley. He was supported by a number of prestigious galleries: Iris Clert presented his first exhibition in Paris (1962) before John Lefebre in Manhattan (1964 onward) and Aimé Maeght in 1969, in both Paris and Saint-Paul de Vence. Throughout these years, Pol Bury rubbed shoulders with many important artists, including the New Realists: Yves Klein, Soto, Arman, Spoerri, Tinguely, etc.

Finally, Artcurial, then Louis Carré offered him picture rails and exhibition spaces where Pol Bury exhibited the multiple fountains he had been producing for over thirty years.

This exhibition is curated by Daniel Marchesseau in collaboration with the artist’s wife and accomplice: Velma Bury, who shared his life for 40 years. Museum design / layout: Hubert Le Gall.

The Ministry of Culture is currently undertaking the restoration of "Sphérades" Fountains of the Palais Royal, which will be accessible to the public from the opening date of the exhibition.