CAMARGUE COLOR. Arnaud Chabanon sculpts bulls in Saint-Laurent-d'Aigouze

Arnaud Chabanon vit de son métier d'artiste depuis six ans.

Artiste professionnel, le Saint-Laurentais Arnaud Chabanon utilise la pierre, le métal, la résine pour magnifier les traditions camarguaises et la puissance des taureaux. 

In his workshop located in Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze, Arnaud Chabanon imagines, draws, paints and sculpts his works, mixing materials, from resin to stone, including metal. Employed for 15 years as a stonemason, the Saint-Laurentais quickly declared himself at home for artists. Today and for more than 6 years, he has lived from his passion.

Trained at Guynemer high school in Uzès

Since a young age, he rode horses and frequented the region's arenas, alongside his father, Philip Chabanon, famous host of Camargue races. "I fell into the bulls' pot very young", he says. Even when he was very young, Arnaud Chabanon was drawing and scribbling bulls. It was at the Georges-Guynemer art trades high school, in Uzès, that he graduated with a CAP in wood ornamental sculptor then with a BAC PRO trades and stone art. "I have wonderful memories of my teachers who taught me technical drawing, sculpture on stone, on wood… it's also thanks to them that I live from my passion" he says.
Subsequently and, as he likes to say, "by taking circuitous paths", the Saint-Laurentais found himself, for two years at the Saint-Etienne School of Fine Arts. "After two years, I came back! I missed the climate and the bell tower", he says, smiling. Initially, the Saint-Laurent artist worked in wood and stone. Particularly thanks to his time at the Beaux-Arts, new materials have become his own, such as plaster, resin or even fiber modeled concrete… "The stones, I cut them from raw material, I give them the shapes I want", he says.

An order from Lansargues

Today, many bullrings and bullfighting clubs are eager to order the artist’s works. "Before the start of the season, I spend the winter in my workshop. Once I get out, it's good to see people, it's as if I've spent too much time teleworking", Arnaud Chabanon has fun saying.
In 2023, the town of Lansargues entrusted him with the creation of the Scamandre bull. Since last March, the famous bull of the Boch manade has been enthroned on the roundabout located at the exit of Lansargues.

The bull designed by Arnaud Chabanon has been installed in Lansargues for a year. DR – DR

For many years, the artist sculptor has also been very involved in the Lou Bandot bullfighting club, in Saint-Laurent d’Aigouze. One of the commissions that most marked her was that of a bull sculpted in walnut, for a Printemps des Royales race, in 2001. "I wholeheartedly hope that the younger generations will keep this beautiful bullfighting club going!" he specifies.
Of his numerous orders and projects in progress, the famous Muiron bull is at the sketch stage for the town of Lansargues…

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