INGRID DONAT

French, b. 1957

Ingrid Donat was born in Paris in 1957 into a family of artists. Her grandfather was an architect and her father a painter. Raised in Sweden, she returned to Paris in 1975 to study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts to pursue her passion for sculpture.

Her talent developed quickly in the artistic environment of Paris. Of particular importance was her meeting with Sylva Bernt, the companion of Andre Arbus. From Bernt, Donat learned the art of construction, casting, engraving, patinating and sculpture. During the same year, she met Diego Giacometti who advised Donat to design her own sculpted furniture. Other influences were Egon Schiele, Georges Mine, and Germaine Richier. Inspiration for materials and colors come from primitive and tribal arts, the elegance of Art Deco, and organic forms of Art Nouveau. In 1981, the sculptor Cesar, who recognized Donat as a talented artist, encouraged her to follow her own style and identity rather than return to school. For the past twenty years, Donat has been creating a body of work that she only began to exhibit publicly in 1998.

Donat engraves the bronzes, paints upholstery and treats wood.  Each piece is cast in limited editions of 8 at Blanchet-Landowski Foundry under the guidance of the artist. In addition, each piece is initialed by the artist, has the foundry stamp, and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Ingrid Donat.

Donat currently lives and works outside of Paris.

Selected Exhibitions

2010                    Sotheby's at Sudeley Castle, A Selling Exhibition, Gloucester, England

2008                    New Works in Bronze, Barry Friedman Ltd., New York, NY

                            Conversations in Bronze, Carpenters Workshop, London, England

2006                    Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London, England

2005                    Ingrid Donat: L’age du Bronze, Barry Friedman Ltd., New York, NY
2003                    Ingrid Donat: Bronze Sculpture and Furniture, Barry Friedman Ltd., New York, NY

2002                    Parc de Saint Cloud. L’art du Jardin et de la Sculpture, Paris, France

2001-02              Exposition permanente, Galerie Cazeau-Béraudière, Paris, France

2000                   Meubles et sculptures, Galerie Cazeau-Beraudiere, Paris, France
1999                   Meubles et sculptures de Ingrid Donat, Galerie Bernard Dulon, Paris, France
1998                   4th exposition des bronzes en atelier, Landowski Fondeur, Paris, France