Bernar Venet was born in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in France in 1941.

Bernar Venet first gained recognition in the 1960s for the development of his Tar paintings, Cardboard Reliefs, and his iconic Pile of Coal, the first sculpture without a specific shape.

Over the following decades his work has been exhibited extensively throughout Europe, the United States, South America and Asia both in solo museum shows, as well as in major art events such as the Kassel Documenta in 1977, and the Biennales of Paris, Venice and São Paulo.

Venet has been the recipient of many awards including the Grand Prix des Arts de la Ville de Paris and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest decoration. In February 2016, the International Sculpture Center awarded Venet the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award for his exemplary contributions to the field of sculpture.