The son of French filmmaker Pierre Ropiert and Madame de Lazerme, Jacques spent his childhood immersed in the Paris art world, studying under both Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. He had his first solo exhibition at the age of 17 under the representation of The Andre Emmerich Gallery, and blossomed into one of France's most renowned and collected painters. In his 20 plus year career, Mr. Ropiert has exhibited all over the world, including shows at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Centre National D'Art Contemporain, Andre Emmerich, Galerie Maeght Lelong, Jeffrey Neale, Daniel Newburg and Akira Ikeda galleries. His paintings belong in the private collections of Elton John, Karl Lagerfield, Jasper Johns Foundation, Dennis Hopper and the Gilman Paper Company.
Jacques met Seattle native Jody Grand in the spring of 1996, while Ms. Grand was working in Paris at Microsoft Europe. Married in the summer of 1997, Jacques and Jody returned to Seattle where Jacques continues to paint and Jody continues her work at Microsoft. This rare opportunity to view new works by Ropiert is eagerly anticipated by all familiar with his long legacy and impact on pop art and the net-dada movement.
Mr Roperth has made one request that Vital 5 will strictly be enforcing opening night - that all guests in attendance must be dressed exclusively in primary colors (accessories and shoes optional).
That was the press release from 1998.
The paintings were priced between 10 and 50 thousand dollars, and most of the labels had red dots on them when the doors opened. Jacques Ropiert was there in all his grandeur, smoking a cigar inside and passionately discussing his art with opening night attendants. The paintings were real, in that they were acrylic on canvas, but the show was a fake, the artist an actor and you were on your own, grappling with ideas of celebrity, pop art, art commerce and what exactly made a successful artist.