François de la Pêne

Born in the 4th September, 1943 in Poitiers
At the age of twelve went to Paris, to live with his grandfather due to family instability there in poitiers. Once in Paris François started developing a huge interest in culture, art and politics. His education, always pointing a major knowledge, and the words of françois’ wise grandfather (who was a painter influenced by Renoir), guided François throughout his adolescence. When François was seventeen – 1960 – he published his first book on philosophy, Living in a Dead World – in French Vivre dans un monde mort – in which François first said the world was completely overturned. “Mankind will end up destroying everything, even the universe itself, by not caring their brains. Knowledge is power.” While writing this book François was clearly under the influence of the memories of his past.
Two years later François’ grandfather dies due to heart disease, leaving François alone in Paris, at the age of nineteen. As François finds himself lost and abandoned in a disconcerted world he realizes there is nothing we can do to stop humanity’s slow and painful death, so he lives five years of excesses, in the wild sixties. In this period François starts smoking, habit that is going to kill him, years later. During this episode of unconsciousness François’ best friend, Pierre Sangnier dies of overdose. This tragic death alarmed François, waking him up of his “coma”. François started writing, once again, now with more maturity and experience. In 1968 François starts working in a local paper – La voix de Paris or in English Paris’ voice – as a columnist. Past few months his talent starts being recognized so he starts working as dramaturge, next to one of his dearest friends, the theatre producer, Jean Jacques Hesme. Their most know play “Le stromboscope de l’ambulance” – The ambulance’s siren – has been in scene for two years of tremendous success. 1972, 23rd January, François marries Jean Jacques sister, la belle Clotilde Poulain. They had a child born in Paris in the 7th May 1974, Pierre de la Pêne. François starts playing piano in some night houses to bring more income to properly raise his child. Winter, 1980, François has developed terminal lung cancer, and leaves behind a six year old child. François dies at the age of 37 of pneumonia, due to his weak condition. Hours before his death François recalls the worlds of Kant – at the time of his death – “Das ist Gut!”, “This is good!”, “Ça c’est bon!”, in the original language (german), then in English and finally in French, his mother tongue.