French conceptual artist Bernar Venet (born 1941) studied at the Villa Thiole, the municipal art school of Nice. In 1974 he taught Art and Art Theory at the Sorbonne, Paris and represented France at the Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil. His extensive exhibition history includes Documenta VI and the Venice Biennale in 1977. Venet has received numerous awards including the 1989 Grand Prix des Arts de la Ville de Paris. In 1996 he was awarded 'Commandeur dans l’ordre des Arts et Lettres' by the Minister of Culture in France, and in 2005 was named 'Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur', France's highest decoration.