An original approach

The collection is the fruit of a new type of patronage initiative which began in 1967. At the time, the objective was not to purchase finished works that were already on the market. Renault wished rather to set up a collaborative relationship with contemporary artists who were:
• interested by the industrial world,
• at the time relatively unknown outside specialist circles.
Today these artists are established figures of art history. Among them are Arman, Jean Dubuffet, Victor Vasarely, Jean Tinguely, Erro, Takis and Henri Michaux.

Doisneau’s Renault

The collection also includes a significant archive of photographs by Robert Doisneau. From 1934 to 1939, Doisneau was first a company employee. He then worked as a freelance photographer, from just after the war until the 1950s.  His mission was twofold: 
• to photograph factory life, men and machines,
• to contribute to building Renault’s image through advertising photography. 

Exhibitions

Part of the collection is today on permanent exhibition at various company sites. It illustrates the Renault values of vision, innovation, and daring. 
The works are also displayed during exhibitions organized with major museums in the countries where Renault is present:
• in 2003, an exhibition of 140 pieces at the Sompo Japan Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan,
• in 2005, an exhibition of 100 photographs of Doisneau’s Renault at the Fine Arts Museum in Besançon, France,
• currently and until February 26, 2006, an exhibition entitled “La Machine et le Trublion” at the Tamayo de Mexico Museum, Mexico.