How would you describe your father?
He was born in Juillan in 1905. My father was a Renaissance man, with an enormous general knowledge. My sister and I were immersed in a vast culture, like the Greek myths he told us every night when we were 10 years old. All his grandchildren became artists or architects. My sister is an artist and I am an architect. He painted from a very young age. And his capacity for reflection led him not only to painting, but also to architecture and design. He designed very modern motorcycles and cars in 1930, like those now coming out of the major Swiss design firms. He was also interested in esotericism. He attended art school in Toulouse during his military service. And in 1932, he received a prestigious architecture degree. He went to work in the architecture department of the Tarbes town hall.
And was art always present?
He always worked with the arts, and for the arts. His painting earned him a Grand Prize for Regional Painters in 1950 in Toulouse for a painting depicting the Bigorre way of life. He worked with friends like Dr. Betbèze, with whom he founded the Society of Friends of the Arts of Bigorre in 1938. He was also involved in local politics, as it was he who suggested to the mayor of Tarbes at the time, Pierre Cohou, that he establish an art school. He championed the project, and it was the city workers of Tarbes who renovated the former Massey house, which still houses the current Higher School of Art and Design. He was a very busy man!
What was the purpose of this Society of Friends of the Arts?
It served to promote a particular perspective on art. It facilitated trips to paint together. It allowed us to showcase the talents of the time. Like Henri Borde, who had incredible talent that my father and Dr. Betbèze wanted to highlight. And many other artists like Lamarque, Duprat, Zeller, and Jeanne Saliceti. It was a breeding ground that produced many budding talents. Like Jacques Brianti or Rémi Trotereau. Jacques' son, Sylvio Brianti, has done extraordinary research on these figures.
Does this desire to promote the arts in the Hautes-Pyrénées in the 1930s have repercussions to this day?
Yes, certainly. You might find me presumptuous, but I think the most striking example is my twin sister, Jacqueline Dauriac, who became a very important conceptual and perceptual artist. With wonderful exhibitions like the one at the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris. Today, there are also many admirable artists in the Hautes-Pyrénées, such as Rémi Trotereau, Maryse C, and Jean Vergès. Like Pierre Sempé, the grandson of Dr. Sempé, who was also part of the group that founded the Society of Friends of the Arts.
And it is to your father that the Friends of the Arts will pay tribute!
Yes, the 84th exhibition will pay tribute to the painter Tardieu, and to Jacques Dauriac through his painting "The Liberation of Tarbes," which adorns the reception hall of Tarbes Town Hall, to the left of the bust of Marshal Foch. This painting is very important today because it marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Tarbes, which took place from August 18 to 28, 1944. On the left of the painting, you can see the train station from which it all began. It's also a painting that depicts the mobilization of the Free Corps, the Resistance, and the patriotic volunteers. It's also a painting that shows 21 months of hardship. My father loved this painting.
The Friends of the Arts of Tarbes and Bigorre Exhibition
From October 26 to November 9, the Friends of the Arts will be setting up their annual exhibition in the Tarbes Town Hall's reception hall. Open to the public every day from 2 pm to 6 pm, this exhibition will showcase the talent our region has to offer through the works of the association's member artists. Two artists will be featured: the painters Tardieu and Jacques Dauriac, with their painting "The Liberation of Tarbes," which is on permanent display in the Tarbes Town Hall's reception hall.
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