Patrick Michel, Montpellier - MEET THE COLLECTOR Series Part Forty Eight

Part Forty Eight of my ‘Meet the Collector’ series sees me chat with Patrick Michel, currently residing in Montpellier. Patrick’s collection is housed in Montpellier in the Musee d’arts brut, singulier and autres. Read on to find out why Patrick started collecting, how many pieces are in the collection today and who his favourites are.

Portrait of Patrick Michel

1. When did your interest in the field of outsider/folk art begin?
My interest began when I was young I believe, but I was not aware of it. I used to accompany my father to his exhibitions since he was exhibited every year at the Galerie Chave in Vence. I still remember that Alphonse Chave once offered me a little toy (a car!) from his shop. I therefore met the artists Philippe Dereux, Armand Avril, François Ozenda, Pascal Verbena, Louis Pons, Jean Vodaine, Henri Comby, Fred Deux and Eugène Gabritschevsky.

2. When did you become a collector of this art?  How many pieces do you think are in your collection now? And do you exhibit any of it on the walls of your home or is it all in the museum?
I became a collector around 20 years ago, when I took the decision to create the museum in order to save (and protect) my father’s work. I think the collection contains nearly 2500 artworks. They are all shown in the museum, in our offices and in my home as well.

3. Can you tell us a bit about your background before the museum?
I went to the Beaux-Arts School. Then I graduated with a national diploma in advertising. In 1971 I created an advertising agency in Montpellier, which has been since taken over, but I am still in active there (let’s say that I am half retired!) It gives me time for the museum too.

Augustin Lesage

4. Your father Fernand Michel was an artist, often classified under the art brut label – Is that why the museum started? Can you tell us about the museum’s history and when it opened? Is the museum purpose built or did you convert an older building? How many different artists are represented there now?
Yes, my father was often classified under the ‘Art Brut’ label but in fact he belonged to the ‘Singular Art’ label. The museum was created ex-nihilo - parts within the family house and parts in a modern building with an interior garden.  To this day, 280 creators are presented.

5. Alongside the permanent collection, you hold three temporary exhibitions a year at the museum – can you tell us the focus of these?
The three temporary exhibitions each year are important because they grow the cultural life of the museum, allowing meetings and exchanges between the art interested public who come to visit the museum.

6. A conflicted term at present, but can you tell us about your opinion of the term outsider art, how you feel about it and if there are any other words that you think we should be using instead?
As far as I am concerned, it is not at all a conflicted subject! The term Art Brut exists since Jean Dubuffet gave it to us in 1945, covering self-taught and marginalised artists, with 80% having pathological disorders. There is no need to get worked up! I say no to the professors, intellectuals and philosophers with their ‘we are all-wise / we are all-knowing’ egos. The terms Outsider Art and Art Brut are fine with me.

Talal Chaïbia

7. What style of work, if any, is of particular interest to you within this field? (for example is it embroidery, drawing, sculpture, and so on)
It is a wide subject for me. Many styles of work interest me as long as creativity remains the ‘Ariadne's thread’ (to trace the steps to get to the end result).

8. Would you say you had a favourite artist or piece of work within your collection? And why?
Of course I have! First of all, Nek Chand. I met him on his site in Chandigarh. I was fascinated and it still is for me a wonderful place. I do recommend everybody to go there. The amount of work he put into it, it is fantastic! For example, I place Nek Chand before Le Facteur Cheval. I also like the Art Brut artists Augustin Lesage, Martin Ramirez, Luboš Plný, Willem Van Genk and Anselme Boix-Vives.

9. Where would you say you buy most of your work from: a studio, art fairs, exhibitions, auctions, or direct from artists?
The artworks are bought in art fairs and at art galleries, but very seldom from artists since the majority of Art Brut artists are now dead.

Martin Ramirez

10. Is there an exhibition in this field of art that you have felt has been particularly important? And why?
Yes definitely… the exhibition dedicated to André Robillard that we organised in 2017 - It was a formidable boost for our new museum! I had built a stage (8x3m) to shelter Robillard’s “space environment”. That has never been done before! I met André Robillard himself. He is a person that I really like. He is a true art brut artist, who managed to get out his mental confinement thanks to his work. His very first gun, shown at the Collection d’Art Brut in Lausanne, is beautiful.

11. Are there any people within this field that you feel have been particularly important to pave the way for where the field is at now?
When creating a museum, one needs to meet and know people that have first-hand knowledge and experiences. Laurent Danchin really helped me as well as people like Cérès Franco, Max Ammann, Yvon Taillandier and Paul Duchein. Many other people were just as essential too, but too many to list here.

12. I’ve read that a few of your patrons allow you funds to continue to enrich your collection each year. What sort of works/artists are you still looking to add to your collection?
Giving birth to a cultural space with no financial funds cannot work. The entrance fees to the museum are not enough and we do not receive any funds from local funds. That is why I am always looking for funds - enterprises, friends, sponsors, etc… in order to enrich the collection.

Patrick Michel

13. Are you an artist yourself?
It can be said, but very discreetly. I have been using zinc for about 35 years, just like my father, but in a very graphical style. I got exhibited with him in Germany, Paris and Montpellier… quite successfully, but after my father’s death, I got very busy creating the museum (for about 15 years). A lot of people and my friends encourage me to get back to my sculptures, why not?… one day maybe.

14. Is there anything else you would like to add?
I am deeply disappointed by the “market” character that Art Brut takes. This has repercussions on certain “Singulars” who claim to belong to this movement, but in fact, they just mess around, only for their wallets!

Patrick Michel