Philippe Pasqua was born in 1965, Grasse, France. He currently lives and works in Paris.

Philippe Pasqua is a self-taught painter and sculptor with a penchant for capturing the fleeting nature of mortal existence. He was born in Grasse, France. The artist paints nudes and facial portraits, and he also creates sculptures using materials such as human skulls and dried butterflies. All of his works tend to highlight the ugliness behind beauty, the profanity in the midst of reverence, and the eventual helplessness of the powerful. This motivation accounts for his selection of subjects. Disabled individuals, Down’s syndrome sufferers, and transsexual candidates prepped for surgery all find their way to Pasqua’s canvasses.

Given his frantic brushstroke style and preference for black and blue shades, the artist’s portrait subjects can look as though they have been beaten, though Pasqua leaves the viewers to form their own interpretations. Clementine is one such example of this portrayal. Likewise, Pasqua represents animals in a solitary setting, as though abandoned, exemplified by his 2009 oil painting entitled Purdey. Also an accomplished pencil drawer, Pasqua focuses primarily on faces: some disturbed, others depressed, and still others frightened. Laura is a drawing of a mentally handicapped woman who—as the artist’s website suggests—Pasqua may have known personally. The artist’s interest in skulls is manifest in his sculpted works. Whether gilding them with gold or tattooing them, Pasqua makes human destiny clear to all who will look upon his skulls.

Although he did not intentionally plan to follow an artistic tradition, Pasqua is said to be firmly planted in Vanitas. This artistic movement, represented by Damien Hirst (British, b.1965), stresses emptiness and the shallow, temporary nature of life’s pleasures. Since 1990, Pasqua has exhibited his works all over the world. Beginning with the Maison des arts de Beausset in France, his art has travelled to Paris, Barcelona, Brussels, and Hamburg. In February 2012, Pasqua brought his skulls, comprising his Vanities series, to London’s Opera Gallery. Lucian Freud (British, 1922–2011) once said, “The role of the artist is to disturb the human being.” Critical acclaim suggests that Pasqua fills that role adequately. His representatives include Patrick Painter, Inc. of Santa Monica, CA. Pasqua lives in a suburb of Paris.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2003
‘Human Presence’, Galerie Hengevoss-Dürkop, Hamburg, Germany 
‘AURA (mystére et force)’ Galerie RX, Paris, France 

2001
Galerie Aeroplastics, Damasquine, ‘Face Off’, Brussels, Belgium 

2000
Galerie Lucien Durand – Le Gaillard ‘Collage d´hier et d´aujourd´hui’ 
Passage de Retz, Paris, France, ‘Narcisse blessé’, curator Jean Michel Ribettes 

1999
Passage de Retz, Paris, France, ‘Fétiches et fétichismes’, curator Jean Michel Ribettes 
Palais Bénédictine, Fécamp, Frankreich, ‘Collection Ahrenberg, 50 ans d´historie de l´art’, curator Erick Öge 

1998
Musée des Beaux Arts de Mons, Belgique, ‘Collection Ahrenberg, 50 ans d´historie de lárt’ Kurator Erick Öge 
Espace d´Art Yvonamor Palix, Mexico City, Mexico: Yolanda Gutterrez, Alicia Paz, Philippe Pasqua 
Espace d´Art Yvonamor Palix, Mexico City, Mexico : ‘Hygiéne’: Orlan, Aziz and Cuccher, Sandy Skoglund, Lucy Orta, Steve Miller, Philippe Pasqua and Yolanda Gutierrez 
Fondation la Source, Paris, France, ‘Hygiene’ (Orlan, ec.)
Galerie Enrico Navarra, Paris, France, ’80 artistes autour du mondial’: Ben, Di Rosa, Arman, Jeff Koons, Cesar, Matta, Rotella, Chia etc. 

1997
Galerie Martini, Hong Kong, ‘3 Visionen zeitgenössischer französischer Kunst’: Alain Diot, Zury Milshtein, Philippe Pasqua, curator Erick Öge 

1994
Espace Cardin, Paris, France, in favour of l´Association AIDES
Fondation Miró, Barcelona, Spain, ‘Chaussures d´artistes’ 

1992
Salon des Grands et jeunes d´aujourd´hui, Paris, France 

1990
Maison des Arts de Beausset, Beausset, France 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2006
Patrick Painter Inc., Santa Monica, CA 
Galerie RX, Paris, France 
Centre culturel de la ville de Montceau-les Mines, France 
Galerie Hengevoss Dürkop-Jensen, Hamburg, Germany 

2005
Centre culturel de la ville de Metz, France 

2004
Métamorphoses, Galerie RX, Paris, France 

2003
‘Lucille’, Paris, France 

2002
Palais Bénédictine, Fécamp, France, ‘Les Miroires de l´Âme’ (Portraits 1989-2001) curator Erick Öge 

2002
Bloc Portrait, Galerie Hengevoss Dürkop-Jensen, Hamburg, Germany 

2001
Trauma, Galerie Hengevoss Dürkop-Jensen, Hamburg, Germany 

1999
Galerie Lucien Durand – Le Gaillard, Paris, France 
Enquête de Corps Palais Bénédictine, Fécamp, France 

1998
Espace Yvonamar Palix, Mexico City, Mexico 
Stephen Lacey Gallery, London, United Kingdom, curator Erick Öge

1996
Galerie Boulakia, Paris, France 

1995
Château de Grouchy, France 
Espace Dautzenberg, Brussels, Belgium 
The International Center, Detroit, USA 

1991
Galerie Woo Mang and Partner, Paris, France 

1990
‘Espace Confluence’, Paris, France 

LITERATURE

2006
Tully, Judd, Philippe Pasqua. Patrick Painter, Inc., Santa Monica, California.

2005
Michel Waldberg, Philippe Pasqua. Éditions De La Différence, Paris, France.

2003
Vernissage. Galerien Nord. Künstler & Ausstellungen in Galerien Herbst/Winter 2003/04

2002
June-July, Kunstforum International
March 20, Kunst-Stücke, Hamburger Abendblatt

2001
Programmheft der Galerie Hengevoss-Jensen zur Ausstellung ‘Trauma’
‘Paris sur la terre’, Nr. 3, Magazin, (Olivia Benhamou)
‘Profil femme’, Nr. 23, Magazin, edition suisse, ‘Pasqua, c´est trash’ by Katia Barillot