Bete from "Animal Suite"

Jacques Soisson

A colorful lithograph by "Art Brut" artist Jacques Soisson whose interest in Surrealism, Abstraction and Expressionism led him to join the 'Société de Pscychopathologie de l’Expression,' also attended by fellow Art Brut artist Jean Dubuffet.

In 1966 he took up studies in child and adolescent psychotherapy, with the aim of creating a form of art therapy. He founded the "Atelier d'art-therapie" and collaborated with the Institut Édouard Claparède de Neuilly-sur-Seine, a child psychology clinic still in operation today. The works painted by his patients during this time were collected and donated to the Museum of St. Roch in Issoudun.

In 1969 Soisson joined the 'Société d’Art Brut,' which was founded by Jean Dubuffet who was a friend of Soisson’s. Soisson decided to give up his career in child psychology and in 1978 dedicated himself to art. He continued to live and paint in Paris, France, until his death in 2012.

In the mid 1970s he did a series of brightly colored "Betes" (Beasts), imaginary creatures from his dreams and fantasies.