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 (; ) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France.

and spent his childhood in Apt at the family flour mill. He attended

Aix-Marseille University Aix-Marseille University (AMU; ; formally incorporated as ) is a Public university, public research university located in the Provence region of southern France. It was founded in 1409 when Louis II of Anjou, List of rulers of Provence, Count of ...

and the

École supérieure de journalisme The ESJ or École supérieure de journalisme (in English: Tertiary college of Journalism) is an institution of higher education and French Grande École dedicated to the study of Journalism. It has three sites in France France, officially th ...

. After he completed his military service in

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

, 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. With 2,400 employees of 100 nationalities, AFP has an editorial presence in 260 c ...

. He served as

Deputy Mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...

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 () 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 List of oldest universities in continuous opera ...

(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