Our Story

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Prune for many years, and it’s been a gift to learn from her and witness her extraordinary creative process. She—and everyone involved with the Catharsis Arts Foundation—gives generously and humbly of their time and talents. Through their global projects, they nurture community and create meaningful impact in people’s lives. It is an honor to have them in residence at Atelier Jolie. We are deeply grateful for this partnership.

- Angelina Jolie

Catharsis Arts Foundation was founded in November 2023 by sculptor Prune Nourry and Claude Grunitzky. Our founding project, Statues Also Breathe, is a collaboration between Obafemi-Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 108 students from all across Nigeria, and the families of the young women from Chibok who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014. Inspired by the iconic terracotta heads of Ife, it forms an indivisible "army" of 108 terracotta portraits of still missing abductees.

Deeply inspired by Nourry’s approach, we explore the ways in which collaboration in the arts, both as a creative practice and a way-of-life, brings communities together, fosters leadership and meaningful exchange beyond cultural differences, and acts as an agent of positive transformation–profoundly healing both individually and at the scale of society. In a divided world, we initiate projects that are transcultural, interdisciplinary, and collective, in order to catalyse healing, for women and vulnerable communities in particular. We believe that art fosters empathy and positive change.

From its conception, Catharsis has been dedicated to creating lasting virtuous circles. Since Statues Also Breathe, we have expanded to making artistic collaboration available, notably with the recurring exhibition Strand for Women, a project taken on by Catharsis in 2025.

In December 2024, Catharsis Arts Foundation was invited for a long-term residency at Atelier Jolie, a one-of-a-kind creative collective in New York City, located at 57 Great Jones Street. There, we thrive to create art experiences that resonate in the long-term and across communities. We provide a platform for conversations on our shared humanity with the Catharsis Conferences, amplify artists’ visions through exhibitions, and nurture a creative community invested in virtuous circles through diverse programming, from performances to workshops.

@Qori Camargo

@Dohdohndawa Photography

@Julia Smerling

@Dohdohndawa Photography

@Art Bridge Project

@Argenis Apolinario

@Dohdohndawa Photography

@Art Bridge Project

@Argenis Apolinario