Thierry Benenati was born in Marseille, France. Following his studies in applied arts, he moved to Paris and began a brilliant 20-year career working as Art Director for several major Parisian advertising agencies. He now focuses his wide-ranging, creative talents exclusively on his true passion, the pure artistic expression of sculpture. His sculptures are recognized by the most prestigious institutions in the art community and his work is collected by celebrities such as Gerard Depardieu and Francoise Fabian and he is followed by the artist Ben. He has served as Vice President, Salon d'automne from 2014-2017 and as President of Sculpture. In 2015, he was accepted by Group Comparaison at the Grand-Palais, Paris. His work has won multiple awards and prizes including the Taylor Prize and the Sandoz Prize.
Sculpture is a very old art form. Over time materials and methods have evolved to include new, innovative and modern techniques. Unfortunately, a form of showcase art has also emerged that is not representative of the true discipline and with it have come many self-proclaimed sculptors of the "superstar" variety who are not trained in traditional, respectable tenets of the medium. It is difficult today to determine who does what, and how. An innocent observer might believe there is only a choice between the great classical masters found in museums and the very modern and fashionable works offered by an art market that has gone astray. In truth, the knowledge and values of authentic sculpture cannot be realized without a considerable amount of training and practice. Perhaps more than any other art form, sculpture does not forgive the lack of mastery. The most high-tech tools can indeed serve the artist but they cannot replace the discipline, hard work and passion required to learn the effects of light and shadow, movement and space, harmony and creativity, all critical to breathe life into a work that will then share its life with the public.
Here, I defend an art form that does not cheat or cut corners, one that exemplifies ancient traditions, incorporates the modern world, upholds the finest creativity and standards, and defends the majesty of the institution of good art. In the end, a true artist understands the value of creativity and has the ability to transfer their talent through art. A true, practiced artist can produce work that does not require a market to validate its value - for the artist is inherently already truly rich.
