Dado – Biographical timeline
The 1980s
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1980Dado begins working at the studio of Biel Genty, an intaglio printer based in Montjavoult.
1981Exhibition of drawings and collages organised by Christian Derouet at the Cabinet d’art graphique at the Centre Pompidou, Musée national d’art moderne. At the request of the “Amis du Musée”, Dado makes a diptych in drypoint. For the whole year (summer 1981-autumn 1982) he works at the Lacourière-Frélaut studio in Paris, where he engraves thirteen copperplates that produce a hundred or so ‘states’.
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1982Dr Joseph Katz initiates Dado’s collaboration with the Galerie Beaubourg. Beginning of the series Buffon following the reading of the work of the famous naturalist.
1983Grand Prix (for foreigners) for engraving at Varna International Print Biennial (Bulgaria). Travels with the family to Varna, Sofia, then Istanbul, where he visits the cemetery described by Gérard de Nerval, one of his favourite authors.
1984Retrospective of his works from 1961 at the Musée Ingres in Montauban. Death of Henri Michaux, for whom Dado had a lot of respect.
1985Publication of a collector’s book, Le Terrier (The Burrow), by Franz Kafka.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
André Gélis Collection.
1986A retrospective exhibition of his engraved work is presented at the Artothèque in Toulouse. Discovery of Asia with a trip to Thailand with Yanitza, his elder daughter.
Right: The Forge of Buffon, 1984-1985, oil on canvas, 195 × 130 cm.
1987Dado continues reading Buffon. He paints several dozen armchairs which take over the whole studio, as well as large canvases, like The Eagle Owl, L’Azurin [Turdus Cyanurus], The Redpoll, The Forges of Buffon. He becomes friends with the writer Claude Louis-Combet, and illustrates his Vacuoles.
1988Dado becomes friends with Pierre Bettencourt – a close friend of Michaux – who writes for the artist the text for the catalogue of his exhibition in tribute to Buffon, “Taxidermied Buffon”.
That year also sees the fire in the studio in Hérouval, which happened in the autumn. As soon as the fire is extinguished, Dado goes back to work and makes a series of polychrome sculptures using the daily objects and elements damaged by the fire.
1989An important room is devoted to Dado during the exhibition of Daniel Cordier’s donations to Centre Pompidou.
A new collector’s book, Le Bonheur dans le crime by Barbey d’Aurevilly, published by the Imprimerie nationale and comprising fifteen copperplate etchings, aquatint and drypoint, printed on the presses at Alain Controu’s studio. Trip to Calcutta in the autumn with Domingo, his photographer son.
