Serge Bec (August 27, 1933 – February 27, 2021) was a French poet, journalist, writer, and
art critic
An art critic is a person who is specialized in analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating art. Their written critiques or reviews contribute to art criticism and they are published in newspapers, magazines, books, exhibition brochures, and catalogue ...
.
Biography
Bec was born in
Cavaillon
Cavaillon (; Provençal: ''Cavalhon'') is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. and spent his childhood in
Apt
Apt. is an abbreviation for apartment.
Apt may also refer to:
Places
* Apt Cathedral, a former cathedral, and national monument of France, in the town of Apt in Provence
* Apt, Vaucluse, a commune of the Vaucluse département of France
* A ...
at the family flour mill. He attended
Aix-Marseille University
Aix-Marseille University (AMU; french: Aix-Marseille Université; formally incorporated as ''Université d'Aix-Marseille'') is a public research university located in the Provence region of southern France. It was founded in 1409 when Louis II o ...
and the
École supérieure de journalisme. After he completed his military service in
Algeria
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, relig ...
, he became a journalist and art critic for
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.
AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, D.C ...
. He served as
Deputy Mayor
The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments.
Duties and functions
Many elected dep ...
of Culture of Apt from 1977 to 1983, and subsequently became director of the Luberon Regional Nature Park. In 1977, he became Editor-in-Chief of the journal ''Le Pays d’Apt''. In 2009, he became Majoral of ''
Félibrige
The ''Félibrige'' (; in classical Occitan, in Mistralian spelling, ) is a literary and cultural association founded in 1854 by Frédéric Mistral and other Provençal writers to defend and promote the Occitan language (also called the ) and ...
''.
Serge Bec died in Apt on February 27, 2021, at the age of 88.
Works
Poetry
*''Li Graio negro / Les Corneilles noires'' (1954)
*''Cants de l'estre fòu / Chants de l'être fou'' (1957)
*''Miegterrana / Méditerranée'' (1957)
*''Memòria de la carn, seguit de Auba / Mémoire de la chair, suivi de Aube'' (1960)
*''Auceus de l'ivern / Oiseaux de l'hiver'' (1960)
*''Galina blanca e marrit can / Poule blanche et chien méchant'' (1968)
*''Balada per Lili Fòng / Ballade pour Lilly Phong'' (1969)
*''Cronicas dau rèire-jorn / Chroniques à contre-jour'' (1978)
*''Sièu un païs / Je suis un Pays'' (1980)
*''Cants de nòstrei pòbles encabestrats / Chants de nos peuples enchevêtrés'' (1985)
*''Pouèmo de la Clarenciero I / Poèmes de la Clarencière (I)'' (1989)
*''Sesoun de guerro / Saison de guerre'' (1991)
*''Tres balado / Trois ballades'' (1993)
*''La nuech fendasclada / La nuit pourfendue'' (1994)
*''Entre Gascogne et Provence – Itinéraire en lettres d'Oc'' (1994)
*''Pouèmo de la Clarenciero II / Poèmes de la Clarencière (II)'' (1998)
*''Suito pèr uno eternita / Suite pour une éternité'' (2002)
*''Saume dins lo vènt / Psaume dans le vent'' (2006)
*''Femna mon Amor / Femme mon Amour'' (2008)
Novels
*''Repérages érotiques'' (1982)
*''Mémé, je ne veux pas que tu meures'' (1989)
*''L'otage des loups'' (1997)
*''Cagole'' (2001)
*''La malédiction d'Hadès'' (2005)
Photographic Books
*''Un village de Provence: Murs'' (1993)
*''Fêtes de Provence'' (1994)
*''Provence plurielle et singulière'' (1996)
*''Villages en Provence'' (1998)
*''Provence des lavandes'' (2001)
Guidebooks to Provence
*''Mini-guide des peintres du soleil'' (1969)
*''Mini-guide poétique du Luberon'' (1969)
*''Almanach des plaisirs du Luberon'' (1979)
*''Fantastique Pays d'Apt'' (1979)
*''Votre guide en Luberon'' (1986)
*''Le Luberon et sa région'' (1992)
*''Carnets d'un naturaliste amateur en Luberon'' (1997)
Songs and Recordings
Bec's poems were adapted into songs by René Sette. He also recorded his poems for ''Trésors d'Occitanie''.
Awards
*Grand Prix littéraire de Provence (2006)
*"Jour de Serge Bec" at the
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier (french: Université de Montpellier) is a public university, public research university located in Montpellier, in south-east of France. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the oldest univ ...
(April 2009)
*Co-Sponsor of the Médiathèque d'Apt (2010)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bec, Serge
1933 births
2021 deaths
20th-century French poets
People from Cavaillon
Occitan-language poets