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Arcabus was born in 1926, he graduated at the Ecole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts of Paris. He has given exhibitions of his work in France (Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Marseille, Strasbourg...) as well as in other countries (Berlin, Ottawa, Francfort, Ostende, Panama, Luxembourg). His works can be found in Canada, Japan, the United States of America and Mexico : as well as in different public collections such as the Museum of Grenoble, the National Library of Paris, Pinacothèque internationale of Waterloo, the University Museum of Ottawa in Canada and the Cuernavaca in Mexico. He has also contributed to many private collections. Has has often worked for the French government and local authorities creating mosaics, frescoes and stained glass windows. His work can be seen in the Préfecture and Political Sciences’ Institute of Grenoble, the Chamber of Guilds of Chambéry, a Metz secondary school, the Ecumenical Church of Chamrousse and St Augustin’s Church in Grenoble.

The Church of  Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse, started in 1953 and finished in 1986, is a complete example of the use of sacred art in all its aspects. It received an heritage bursary from the local authorities because it is visited by more than 100,000 people a year.

His work in the field of the theatre, from 1961 to 1972 lead Arcabus to create costumes and scenery for The Danse of Death by Strindberg , The Diary of a Country Parson by Bernanos & The Righteous by Camus with the Comédie des Alpes troop. Ths work continued with A Soldier’s Story by Ramuz & Stravinsky for the opera house of The National Centre for Arts of Canada. He was resident teacher at the School of Decorative Arts of Grenoble from 1950 to 1969, visiting artist for the Canadian National Arts council and resident teacher from 1969 to 1972 at the University of Ottawa, where he founded and directed the Experimental Workshop Collective. On his return to France he founded the Eloge de la main workshop at the University of Grenoble.

Since 1986, he lives and works in St Pierre de Chartreuse, near Grenoble. Whilst completing his painting works, shown in an exhibition of 95 of his pictures in the City Hall of Grenoble in 1993, he has continued work of a more architectural order. The School of Grésivaudan at Meylan, The water purification plant of the valley of the Grésivaudan (painting and sculpture), the basilica of La Salette en Isère (painting), the church of Saint-Ismier en Isère (windows), the Church of Notre-Dame des Neiges at the Alpe d’Huez finished 2002 (windows), the cathedral of Saint-Malo (alter, font and furniture), the church of Saint Vincent de Paul in Grenoble (frescoes), the cathedral of Rennes (furniture, sculpture), the Chapel of Torre de Roveri in Bergamo in Italy (windows, frescoes, sculpture and furniture), the church of Corbel  (windows) the church of Saint Paul à Meythet (Annecy) (fresco de 72 m) the church of  SaintPierre à Cognin (Chambéry) are among many of his works.

www.arcabas.com

Bibliography

Arcabas, Saint-Hugues de Chartreuse, written by François BŒSPFLUG, photos by Helmuth Nils LOOSE, Ed. du Cerf – Ed. du Tricorne, 1994, 182 pages.

Le polyptique de l’enfance du Christ et autres œuvres : Arcabas, written by François BŒSPFLUG photos by Joris LUYTEN et ALLEGRET, prefaced by H. E. Cardinal Godfried Danneels, Ed. Halewijn, Anvers 2002, 110 pages.