Michel Saloff Coste

Michel Saloff Coste (born June 28, 1955) is an artist and professor at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales,^[1] in the Executive Development department, and co-founder of the Club of Budapest France—an international non-profit organisation dedicated to leading citizens into discussing complex global issues.^[2]

Early life and education

He was born in Paris. During his childhood, he discovered the paintings of his grandfather Roger Chastel (professor in the Beaux-Arts of Paris). He studied philosophy in the University Paris VIII^[3] and followed the lessons of Gilles Deleuze. He attended École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts^[4] in the atelier of Gustave Singier.^[5] In 1970, he met Warhol^[6] in NYC. His photography is part of the pop art movement and noted for coloring on a series of portraits of Deleuze and self portraits.

Work experience

He worked as a consultant in communication, strategy and management, and eventually became involved in more fundamental research on these topics. From 1985 to 1987 he directed a permanent multidisciplinary workshop at the Ministry of Research in France,^[7] on the topic of societal change. In 1991, he joined Bossard Consultants, a leading European consulting firm, as head of R&D within 'Bossard Institute'. In 1993 he created his own research and consultancy firm MSC ET ASSOCIES^[8] (Management, Strategy, and Communication) specialized in global governance, Information Society and sustainable development. He has been its President since its foundation. He is a co-founder of "New Cap Invest", a venture capital company dedicated to promoting highly innovative companies.

Research focus and contributions

Michel Saloff-Coste's research focuses on the paradigm shift within the Information society that he himself defines as a 'Creation-Communication society'. He elaborated a structural grid that defines the evolution of civilization in four waves^[9] – namely 'hunting & gathering', 'agriculture & breeding,' 'industry & commerce,' and 'creation & communication'. Then he analysed the interaction between different representation fields (which he calls 'reality fields'). He further developed his framework with Carine Dartiguepeyrou and together they articulated ten long-term visions of the future called 'horizons'; their collaborative work was published in a co-authored book Les horizons du futur.

In 2008 Michel Saloff-Coste suggested to the French executive committee of the Club of Budapest to develop one-day seminars every quarter in which explore the main ideas, places and people linked historically to the integral movement.^[10] The first day of those “inaugurals days” was dedicated to explain in general the integral approach.^[11] The second day ^[10] was around the issue of the integration of the integral approach and philosophy in real life. The third day was about integral education. This very special day was a good way to explore the theoretical and practical epistemological question connected with the specificity of the wish to build an integral university.^[12] The fourth day was an application of integral thinking to the analysis of the contemporary, sociological, economical and ecological crisis, and solutions of this analysis. The fifth day was about sustainable development and what the integral approach can bring in terms of integral ecology, society and economy. The sixth day which clotured the cycle of those inaugural days was more connected with future studies and futurology. The title was “Civilization of the future and future of the civilizations”. This title was important to underline the necessity to think in terms of cultural unity but also diversity.

So far, the Integral University (“Université Intégrale” in French) in Paris refers to this cycle of conferences. It is not an institute as such, as it is still in its developing stages. The idea is to organize one-day seminars on various themes in cooperation with speakers, theoreticians as well as practitioners. The use of the word integral puts the emphasis on a common desire of being integral. With this aim in view, the systemic and transdisciplinary approaches are also considered as part of the same quest for integrality.^[13]

Exhibitions

His first exhibition is in the Gallery Maître Alber (1978). In 1981, he exhibits photographies^[14] of the Palace and the Bains-Douches in the Musée National d'Art Moderne (Centre Georges Pompidou).

• 1978 Galerie Maître Alber, Paris, Peintures à l'huile.
• 1979 Salon des réalités nouvelles,Paris,Peintures à l'huile.
• 1979 Salon de la jeune peinture, Paris, Peintures à l'huile.
• 1980 Exposition Galerie Forain, Paris, Electrographie et copyart dans la sensibilité du pop art.
• 1981 Galerie Walter Thompson, Paris, Electrographie et copyart dans la sensibilité du pop art
• 1981 Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, Photographie
• 1981 Galerie Viviane Esders, Paris, Photographie
• 1982 Galerie FNAC Etoile, Paris, Photographie
• 1983 Galerie FNAC, Metz, Paris, Photographie
• 1984 Galerie du Centre Kodak, Photographie
• depuis 2000 Galerie de L’Enclos, Lorgues, Peinture acrylique
• 2003 Centre Georges Pompidou exposition Roland Barthes, Paris, Photographie
• 2007 Galerie de l'Hotel Kempinski, Dubai, Peinture acrylique
• 2008 Galerie Reich, Autriche, Peinture acrylique
• 2009 Galerie de Wels, Autriche, Gouache
• 2009 Galerie Visionairs, Paris, Gouache et Peinture acrylique
• 2009 Galerie Lebenstil, Autriche, Gouache
• 2010 Musée du Papier de Steyrermuehl, Steyrermuehl, Autriche, Gouache
• 2011 Galerie Visionairs, Paris, Gouache et Peinture acrylique
• 2012 Musée du Papier de Steyrermuehl, Steyrermuehl, Autriche, Gouache
• 2012 BJ Art Gallery,Paris, France, Gouache Acrylique
• 2012 Escondido Arts Partnership Municipal Gallery, Californie, USA
• 2013 Blaa Galleri, Copenhaggue, Danemark

Published works

• Vêpres Laquées,^[14] Baudouin, 1979
• Paris la nuit, Balland, 1982
• Les Horizons du Futur, Guy Trédaniel, 2001
• Le management systémique de la complexité, Aditech Ministère de la Recherche, 1990
• Le management du troisième millénaire, Guy Trédaniel, 1991, 1999 and 2005
• The Information Revolution and the Arab World: Its Impact on State and Society par Emirates Center for Strategic Studies en 1999
• Manifeste pour la technologie au service de l'homme, Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble, 2000
• Strategies of the future", World Business Academy Volume 15 Issue 5 December 19, 2001
• Trouver son génie, Guy Trédaniel, 2005
• La société de l'information enjeu stratégique, Revue Agir, 2005
• Le dirigeant du troisième millénaire, Edition d'organisation, 2006
• Mimétisme et singularité, deux leviers de croissance, La Revue de Kea, 2006
• La stratégie créative de singularisation, La Revue de Kea, 2007
• Le DRH du troisième millénaire, Pearson Village Mondial en 2007,2009
• Réenchanter le futur par la prospective RH , Pearson Village Mondial en 2009
• Prospective d'un monde en mutation aux éditions de l'Harmattan en 2010
• "Au-delà de la crise financière" Edition de l'Harmattan 2011
• "Les voies de la résilience" Edition de l'Harmattan 2012.

Films and videos

• I am just a cartoon, Production Centre Georges Pompidou, 1982
• Bazooka, Production EAG, 1983
• Séminaire de prospective en Californie, octobre 2003
• Le Père Ceyrac, reportage sur le Père Ceyrac, octobre 2004
• Le dirigeant du troisième millénaire, reportage séminaire à Science Po, juin 2005
• Abécédaire de Michel Saloff-Coste, décembre 2005
• Les enjeux du troisième millénaire, septembre 2007
• Première journée de l'Université intégrale, février 2008
• Deuxième journée de l'Université intégrale, octobre 2008

Gallery

• 

  Self-Portrait,1980s

• 

  Ink, 1990s

• 

  Painting, 1970s

• 

  Painting, 1970s

• 

  Pop Art, 1980s

• 

  Gouache

• 

  Gouache

References