In the years following its launch in 1950, the BIC® Cristal® pen quickly became a favorite with established and ambitious artists. They appreciated the quality, the precision, the ease with which they could get it and also the ability to quickly execute sketches or major works.
In 1998, an exhibition was organized at the Val d’Aoste as a tribute to the Baron Bich, a native of the region. On this occasion, artists created unprecedented artworks in connection with the brand’s products. It was the first step in the desire for a BIC collection. Today this BIC collection will be shown at the CENTQUATRE-PARIS. With more than 80 international artists and 150 artworks, the simple everyday object (pen, razor, lighter) becomes a means of creation. The artists transform, transpose, transfigure. The exhibition is their laboratory. With this stroll through plural and unsuspected worlds, the collection is unveiled as eclectic and profuse. The artist diverts the object from its initial function, reinvents it and encourages us to break down the barriers between drawing and painting, writing and images, design and art.