Culturethèque
Boris Vian at the BNF
Boris Vian enjoyed little recognition in his lifetime (1920-1959). He was discovered posthumously when Jean-Jacques Pauvert republished « L’Écume des jours » in 1963. This forever young fascinating man, who imagined a new language and created a rich and diverse imaginary world, was made a legend. Jazz, theater plays, prose, poetry, translations, songs, paintings... The exhibition presents the various facets of Boris Vian’s work to highlight its unity and richness.
Holder of the Ecole centrale (College of engineering) diploma, Boris Vian worked only a few years as an engineer and preferred to devote himself to writing. He used the pen name of Vernon Sullivan, pretending to be the translator, to publish « J’irai cracher sur vos tombes », written in the style of American violent thrillers. Though the novel was considered as a shocking one and censored, three other works by Vernon Sullivan were published until 1950, which tainted the writer’s reputation. After the publication of « L’Écume des jours », the novels signed with his own name went unnoticed. In 1953, after the failure of « L’Arrache-cœur », he turned away from fiction writing to devote himself to songwriting and worked as a songwriter, singer and artistic director at Philips records company. He also created theatrical works and cabaret musicals.
The exhibition invites visitors to follow in Boris Vian’s footsteps from Saint-Germain-des-Prés to the Collège de Pataphysique, from jazz clubs to cafés where committed intellectuals such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir spent a lot of time.
Le déserteur is a famous anti-war song written by Boris Vian and released on May 7, 1954 during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
It was first sung by Marcel Mouloudji, in 1954. Subsequently, it was forbidden by the French censorship to be sold or broadcasted until 1962.
Books and talking books on Boris Vian available on Culturethèque
Boris Vian by BNF
From 18th October 2011 to 15th January 2012.
At the François-Mitterrand library. Galerie François Ier.
rancois Mitterrand du 18 octobre au 15 Janvier 2012
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