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Alain Taral was born on
the 20th of March, 1949, in Saint-Dié, France. He began his
career in wood design by creating and producing small wooden
caskets, pictures, and small pieces of furniture with an inlay or
mosaic design. From 1989, he applied his experience in
cabinetmaking and marquetry to books. In order to complete his
training, he studied the art of book-binding at the College of
Beaux-Arts ( l'école de Beaux-Arts ) in Toulon under the
guidance of Jacqueline Cabot.
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Alain Taral was highly
commended for the quality of his work presented in 1995, at the
Third Biennal European Festival in the Art of Book-binding (
Troisième Biennale Europèenne de la Reliure d'Art ) at Saint Jean de Luz.
In the same year, he achieved the distinction of "Eerwolle
vermelding voor bijzonder vackmanschap" at the European
Competition in the Art of Book-binding, ( concours européen
de Reliure d'Art ), organised at La Haye in 1996, as well as the
major regional prize at the Society encouraging Art and Craft (
La société d'Encouragment aux Métiers d'Art ).
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In 1997, he was
awarded the silver medal for his systems of book hinges at the
Exhibition of Inventions ( Salon de l'Invention ), held in Lyon
and first prize at the Fourth European Biennial Festival in the
Art of Book-binding ( la Quatrième Biennale Européenne de la
Reliure d'Art ) at Saint jean de Luz.
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Lastly, Alain Taral has been chosen
for the International Competition of Macerata '100 Book Covers
for Eternity ( concours international de Macerata "Cent
reliures pour l'éternité ) and two years after for "François d'Assise". In 2000, he
receive the distinction of "Golden
Book" during challenge in the Art of Book-binding
SCRIPTA MANENT II organised in TALLINN by national bibliotheca of Estonia.
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During the same year he is nominated for prize
Liliane Bettencourt - (Métiers du patrimoine) " For hand's
intelligence " " POUR L'INTELLIGENCE DE LA MAIN ".
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In
2006 in competition Pointe of Paris, jury prefers putting it "
Except Competition ".
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In
2008, it carries off the 1st price for
the 400 years of the city of Quebec and exhibition " linked up
Quebec as ever ".
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In
2009, it carries off the 1st price in international competition
"DESIGNER BOOKBINDERS" in Oxford.