Patrice Stellest (born May 23, 1953) is a contemporary painter and sculptor from Switzerland.
Contents |
He spent most of his childhood in Switzerland, and left to the United States when he was sixteen. After studying at the Art Center College of Design of Los Angeles, he studied and worked at the Walt Disney-founded, California Institute of the Arts, in Valencia,California (between the mid 1970s and 1985).While there, he was a part of the Film Graphics Experimental Animation Department, where he followed classes with Jules Engel, and, among other projects, designed for the 1977 ultimate release of the animation film 'Fantasia'.
In 1985, he moved to Paris, France, where he took over the atelier of Pop Artists Claus Oldenburg and James Rosenquist, which he kept for a year.
From 1985 to 1998, Stellest worked and exhibited in France. He created a series of Metal/recuperation sculptures and installations, put in motion by mechanisms, in association with Martin Bühler, the first assistant of Jean Tinguely, and the French artist/physicist Bernard Gitton.
In 2001, he made a comeback on the public international Art scene as the Special Guest of Palexpo, in Geneva, Switzerland, presenting the art movement he defined as 'Trans Nature Art'; developed with the help of many personalities, from Switzerland, France and New York.
"Trans Nature Art" stands for the protection of nature and environment, through interactive sculptures, directly confronting the public to issues of our time. Stellest's public appearances are rare and most of his works are in private collections.
by Ulrich Zieger and Patrice Stellest. Hardcover, Druckhaus Galrev, Velrag Editions. ISBN 3910161235 (3-910161-23-5). Ulrich Zieger also worked on the film 'Far Away' and won the 1st price of poetry of unified Germany together with A.R Penck et Sacha Anderson.