Pierre Daix
Journalist Writer Art historian
Pierre Daix, while studying in a preparatory literary class (known as "hypokhâgne" in France, a rigorous program preparing students for the elite French universities), saw his life take a dramatic turn with the onset of World War II in 1939. A staunch communist and member of the French Resistance, Daix faced multiple arrests between 1940 and 1942, culminating in his deportation to the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1944.
Post-war, Daix forged a close bond with the iconic artist Pablo Picasso, with both sharing affiliations to the Communist Party. Daix's journalistic journey began in 1946, and by 1948, he ascended to the role of editor-in-chief for "Les Lettres Françaises", a literary publication, under the mentorship of the renowned poet and novelist Louis Aragon. This collaboration with Aragon persisted until the magazine's cessation in 1972. Daix's association with the French Communist Party ended in 1974.
Throughout his life, Daix penned insightful essays on luminaries such as Matisse, Aragon, Rodin, Manet, Braudel, and Zao Wou-Ki. His demise came in 2014.
In a tribute to his friend the following year, François Pinault established the Pierre-Daix Prize. This accolade annually celebrates a book on the history of modern and contemporary art, regardless of its national origin.
SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY :
• PICASSO - author: Pierre Daix ; Fayard/Pluriel ; 2014
• PARIS DES ARTS 1930-1950 - author: Pierre Daix ; RMN ; 2011
• ARAGON - author: Pierre Daix ; Éditions Tallandier ; 2005
• TOUT MON TEMPS - author: Pierre Daix ; Fayard ; 2001
• POUR UNE HISTOIRE CULTURELLE DE L’ART MODERNE - author: Pierre Daix ; Odile Jacob ; 1998
