Gérard Coste (born 24 March 1939), is a French painter and diplomat.

Biography

Gérard was born in

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...

(France) on 24 March 1939. His parents owned a pharmacy in Apt, which was destroyed during the bombing in 1942. From 1943 to 1944 he attended Apt School of Sisters, before they moved to

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

, where his parent bought another pharmacy. He started studying at Saint Denis School there until 1949. Then he attended St. Joseph College in Avignon from 1949 until 1956. He was a graduate of the

Sciences Po , motto_lang = fr , mottoeng = Roots of the Future , type = Public university, Public research university''Grande école'' , established = , founder = Émile Boutmy , a ...

(Paris)(1963 – 1964),

HEC Paris HEC Paris (french: École des hautes études commerciales de Paris) is a business school, and one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles, located in Jouy-en-Josas, France. HEC offers Master in Management, MSc International Fi ...

(1959 – 1962) and the École nationale d'administration (National School of Administration) (1958 – 1959). After finishing universities he began his diplomatic career in

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

in 1964, later serving in Japan. Being in Japan, he spent two years studying painting with the master Toshimitsu Imai, being Imai's only Western student. Coste had his first one-man exhibition in 1975 in Japan. He has had several shows in France and Japan and exhibiting his works regularly in Japan, the United States, Singapore and Thailand. He is the nephew-in-law of the late Czech painter

Otakar Kubín Otakar Kubín (french: Othon Coubine; 22 October 1883 – 17 October 1969) was a Czech painter and sculptor. Biography Kubín was born in Boskovice, Moravia, Austria-Hungary. His works are mainly associated with Impressionism. He was influenced ...

whom lived nearby, close to Marseille. From 1978 until 1983 he was a cultural advisor to Japan, and made several exhibitions in Tokyo and in the provinces. Later he became a Director of French cultural centers and institutes abroad at the Ministry of the EI(1983 – 1985). From 1993 until 1995 he served as an ambassador to Singapore, where he also made several exhibitions. Later he became an ambassador to Bangkok(1996- 1999), where he made a publication ''"Darkness and light"''. He pursued both careers, diplomatic and artistic together. He says : ''"I always had an urge to flee my own culture and a prearranged destiny''". He retired in 2003, the date on which he set up his painting studio in Bangkok.

Personal life

Coste married Naomi (a Japanese-American model he met in Japan) in 1974.

Main Assignments

* Communication Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1985-1987 * General Consul in Los Angeles 1988-1993 * Ambassador of France in Singapore 1993-1995 * Ambassador of France to Thailand 1995-1999 * General Consul in San Francisco 2000-2003

Honors

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

of the France's

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

of the France's Ordre national du Mérite. * Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the

Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันมีเกียรติยศยิ่งมงกุฎไทย; ) is a Thai order, established in 1869 by King Rama ...

* Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Order of The White Elephant of Thailand

Publications

* "Golden Skies" 1992. Limited Edition * "Windows" 1995.Limited Edition * "Elsewhere" 2005. Limited Edition * "En Dedans" 2010. * "Lami", a novel, 2010. * "Ressac", 2011. * "Abyme", 2012. "Ailleurs",2012. "Crypte", 2013. "Avatar",2014.

References

External links

*
numilog.com
library {{DEFAULTSORT:Coste, Gerard 1939 births Abstract painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists French male painters 21st-century French painters 21st-century French male artists French diplomats Living people Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite French abstract artists