French Literature Reviews - 2026

B. Gibert, The Convicts
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs

Les forçats

Bruno Gibert

Publication date: 07/02/2019
Publisher: Editions de l'Olivier
EAN: 9782823614206
Number of pages: 152 p.

We were both voyeurs. Nothing excited us more than setting our gaze in motion. We artists were the galley slaves of the eye. One of them, Bruno Gibert, the narrator of this story who became a writer, and the other, Édouard Levé, a prominent figure in early 2000s contemporary art, met at a time when they were both unknown and their life's work still lay ahead of them. Like two vagrants, they roamed the city, letting themselves be captivated by an image, a shape, or an incongruous detail.

They surrendered to the "objective chance" cherished by the Surrealists, viewing the world as a gigantic, involuntary art installation. Yet very soon, their dynamic shifted. One became the fascinated spectator of the other. The game grew serious—perhaps too much so—and took on the guise of a race for fame.

Readers interested in memoirs exploring artistic friendships and the complexities of early creative lives may find this work relevant. The book concerns Bruno Gibert, the narrator and writer, and Édouard Levé, a prominent figure in early 2000s contemporary art, who met when they were unknown and their life's work still lay ahead of them. Like two vagrants, they roamed the city, letting themselves be captivated by an image, a shape, or an incongruous detail, surrendering to the objective chance cherished by the Surrealists while viewing the world as a gigantic, involuntary art installation.