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1941
Pascal Verbena was born in Marseille, in the Vieux-Port district, where his parents were fishmongers.
1957
After a year of maritime apprenticeship in Sète on board the training ship « Gouverneur Général Lépine », he joined the merchant navy on cargo ships operating along the African coast.
1960
He stopped his long-distance sailing, anticipated the call-up to the French Navy and left for Algeria. During his factions, he cut his first figurines.
1962
On his return from Algeria, he returned to Marseilles where he did small jobs, in particular the restoration of Marseilles boats (pointus).
1964
Married with Viviane he has a child, Thierry.
He was appointed postman at the sorting centre of Grenoble-gare, then returned to Marseille where he was assigned to the night sorting of Marseille-Colbert. For seven years, he was a night telegrapher in the working class districts. He then returned to the Marseille sorting centre where he remained until his early retirement in 1992.
1966
He started to paint. At first he painted canvases with figures, but then gradually shifted to black. Dissatisfied, he destroys them and turns to sculpture, which he feels is his mode of expression. He creates objects that he calls Habitacles with driftwood recovered from the shores of the Camargue.
1970
He created « Les pondeuses », a series of sculptures made from the wood of the desks he collected in the sorting centre where he worked.
1978
The gallery L'Atelier Jacob, Paris, organised her first exhibition with his « Habitacles ». The following year, she exhibited the « Pondeuses » and in 1979 « Les retables ».
Participation in the exhibition Les Singuliers de l'art, organised by the A.R.C., Modern Art museum of Paris.
1979
Participation in the Outsiders exhibition organised by the Art Council, London.
1980
Participation in the exhibition 10 years of creation at the Cantini museum, Marseille.
1982
Solo exhibition at the Buccholz Gallery, Munich.
He creates a sculpture for the Galilée Plastique exhibition on the occasion of the premiere of Marcel Maréchal at La Criée, the new theatre in Marseille.
1984
Solo exhibition at the Rosa Esman Gallery, New York.
1985
He met Nelly T. who became his girl-friend.
1989
Publication of Leurréthiques, artist's book, printed in 50 copies, enhanced by hand, Vis à Vis editions.
1992
Solo exhibition at the Chave Gallery, Vence, where he will exhibit again in 1995-1996.
1993
Participation in the exhibition Les étonnants, Maison de la Culture de Nevers. Production of a video on the artist.
1994
Solo exhibition at Reed's Gallery, London.
1995
Solo exhibition at the Argiles gallery, Paris.
1996
Edition of the book Ephémère oasis, printed in 69 copies, edited and printed by the Chave gallery (Vence).
1997
Production of the short film Bois d'épaves by Philippe Lespinasse for the television program « Thalassa ».
1998
In Les Vigneaux, he recovers slates from old roofs and introduces this element into his work.
1999
Solo exhibition at Phyllis Kind Gallery, New York.
2000
Exhibition at the Chave Gallery. He returns to drawing with indelible ink on paper mounted on wood.
2003
Personal exhibition at the Musée de l'Hospice Saint-Roch in Issoudun (Indre).
2004
Solo exhibition at the Chave Gallery, Vence.
2005
Exhibition Deux postiers singuliers la Poste museum, Paris.
2007
Chave Gallery. Presentation of On the Way to Santiago de Compostela - THE BISE DE L'ÂNE
2013
Exhibition at the l'Art brut museum of lausanne. Switzerland
Bartoli Gallery - « 13 Passeurs d »Émotion » - Marseille European Capital of Culture
2021
Art Montpellier - Bartoli Gallery
2022
ART UP Lille – Bartoli Gallery
Exhibition LaM (art Brut museum) - Villeneuve-d'Ascq
SEA AND DRIFTWOOD
Pascal Verbena is a dreamer. Sedentary, reflecting on his past nomadism and odysseys, he is situated on the border between sea and land, a moving border. The sea shore is a place of metamorphosis and perpetual exchange, as described by Paul Valéry (Eupalinos, or the Architect, 1923): "This frontier of Neptune and the Earth, always disputed by rival deities, is the place of the most incessant trade. What the sea rejects, what the earth cannot retain".
Pascal Verbena searches the beach for driftwood, fragments of boats, animal bones, shells, pumice stones, eroded "sea pebbles"... He chooses them. He sorts them, collects them; he gathers them; he preserves them, stores them.
He keeps these treasures; he knows that he will use them in a future work.
Museums and Collections :
- l'Art Brut museum of Lausanne - The Holocaust (200×400 cm) - Switzerland.
– La Fabuloserie museum / Alain Bourbonnais Collection – Dicy (France).
– Cantini museum – Marseille.
Pascal Verbena
Untitled - 57 x 41 x 10 cm - 1984 - driftwood and various materials
dated and signed on the back of the work.