Jean-Michel Espitallier's Star-Studded Biography in artpress 2
The latest issue of artpress 2, number 26, titled 'MAC/VAL: Ce que l'art fait à la littérature' (August/September/October 2012), features a playful biographical portrait of French poet Jean-Michel Espitallier. The article traces his life from birth on October 4, 1957—coinciding with the launch of Sputnik I—through a series of celebrity encounters. Espitallier's family connections include a distant relation to heldentenor Ramon Vinay and a great-great-uncle who was a baker for Hollywood studios in the 1920s. His childhood in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Nice brought him near Yves Montand, Fernand Raynaud, and Tino Rossi. Later, he danced his first slow with the niece of Léon Zitrone, waved at Sophia Loren on the Croisette, and stood outside Paul McCartney's London home. The article lists dozens of stars he encountered, including Carlos Santana, David Bowie, Patti Smith, and Serge Gainsbourg. In 1984, he moved to Paris, worked at Gallimard, and telephoned René Char and Francis Ponge. He also brushed shoulders with politicians like Dominique de Villepin, Nicolas Hulot, and Arnaud Montebourg. Espitallier left publishing in 2002 and now lives in the same neighborhood as Thierry Lhermitte, Lou Doillon, and Gustave Kervern, maintaining a low profile despite his extensive network of famous acquaintances.
Key facts
- artpress 2 n°26 is titled 'MAC/VAL: Ce que l'art fait à la littérature'
- Issue date: August/September/October 2012
- Jean-Michel Espitallier was born on October 4, 1957
- Espitallier is a distant relative of heldentenor Ramon Vinay
- His great-great-uncle was a baker for Hollywood studios in the 1920s
- He encountered Yves Montand, Fernand Raynaud, and Tino Rossi in childhood
- He danced his first slow with the niece of Léon Zitrone
- He waved at Sophia Loren on the Croisette in Cannes
- He stood outside Paul McCartney's house in London
- He telephoned René Char and Francis Ponge in 1984
- He worked at Gallimard in Paris
- He met politicians including Dominique de Villepin and Arnaud Montebourg
- He left publishing in 2002
- He lives in the same neighborhood as Thierry Lhermitte, Lou Doillon, and Gustave Kervern
Entities
Artists
- Jean-Michel Espitallier
- Ramon Vinay
- Yves Montand
- Fernand Raynaud
- Tino Rossi
- Monty
- Cloclo
- Wallace Collection
- Guy Perillat
- Yvette Horner
- Léon Zitrone
- Sophia Loren
- Paul McCartney
- Carlos Santana
- David Bowie
- The Who
- Genesis
- Police
- King Crimson
- Roxy Music
- XTC
- Yes
- UB 40
- Patti Smith
- Paco de Lucia
- Billy Cobham
- Jean-Claude Killy
- Steve Hackett
- Prince
- Stanley Clarke
- Stevie Wonder
- Chick Corea
- Talking Heads
- Serge Gainsbourg
- Donovan
- Steve Reich
- Randy Crawford
- Bernard Hinault
- Michel Jonasz
- Cheb Mami
- Pierre Boulez
- Liam Gallagher
- Noel Gallagher
- Robert Fripp
- Michel Houellebecq
- Elliott Smith
- Gong
- Michel Galabru
- Portishead
- Rita Mitsouko
- Erik Truffaz
- Gérard Depardieu
- Daniel Darc
- The Pretenders
- John Adams
- Gipsy Kings
- Sami Frey
- Jamiroquai
- Herbie Hancock
- Yoko Ono
- Johnny Hallyday
- Michel Tabachnik
- Martin Circus
- Michael Lonsdale
- Jacques Higelin
- Joe Cocker
- George Benson
- Robert Smith
- Rick Wakeman
- René Char
- Francis Ponge
- Georges Tron
- Dominique de Villepin
- Julien Dray
- Nicolas Hulot
- Arlette Laguiller
- Alain Juppé
- Mikhail Gorbatchev
- Patrick Bloche
- Huguette Bouchardeau
- Mohammed VI
- Jean-Pierre Chevènement
- Arnaud Montebourg
- Martin Hirsch
- Raymond Domenech
- Françoise Hardy
- Gonzague Saint-Bris
- Raymond Devos
- Yves Saint Laurent
- Vigon
- Grace Kelly
- Robert Hossein
- Jean-Pierre Daroussin
- Syd Barrett
- Edwy Plenel
- Jean Paul Gaultier
- Thierry Lhermitte
- Lou Doillon
- Gustave Kervern
Institutions
- artpress
- MAC/VAL
- Gallimard
- Thiery & Sigrand
Locations
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence
- France
- Nice
- Cannes
- Croisette
- London
- United Kingdom
- Abbey Road
- Paris
- Chambéry
- Allemagne
- Germany
- Cambridge
- Tanger
- Morocco
- place de la Bastille
- 7e arrondissement
Sources
- artpress —