STATEMENT
My lifelong involvement in Visual Arts began at age 16 when I left the family farm to work in building construction and developed a deep love and need for artistic expression. At 23, I entered Fine Arts School to formalize my education. After five years of study, I earned a BA in sculpture and painting and developed confidence to find my own way in the Art and Design world. Over the last 30 years,
I have acquired extensive knowledge of many art techniques and perfected my abilities to express concepts and ideas through multiple media and materials. Today, I continue to grow as I experiment with other art forms and collaborate with artists of various expressions.
My first success in art happened at my admission test to Fine Art School in 1985; When meeting with the jury, I mentioned my interest in events related to the Earth response to overpopulation, pollution, and environmental issues. Later on, I believed that those concepts won me a seat in the school.
I then diverted my interested in global art culture, history, concepts behind the works, and all the techniques + processes that I can use to translate my thoughts into visual compositions. But I grew weary of positioning my artwork on somehow interesting concepts. How relevant is my art work? What do I offer to the outer world?
Meanwhile, the destruction of our natural world keep rising. And us, human beings, are intimately involved in that decline, which is very disturbing. This is the big issue that I want to address in my art. My tabula rasa moment came in 2006 when I started my body of work “Ode to our Planet”.
Each piece focuses on a simple environmental topic or interpersonal situation. Sometimes blurring up the lines between nature and human to highlight the multiplicity and diversity of possible interpretations. I use symbolism and visual poetry to express human emotions and states of mind, with the objective to initiate conversations among culturally and socially diverse groups of people. My intention is to raise awareness on important issues and encourage change in our destructive routines and behaviors. My art work contributes to the global movement that protects our planet and unites people peacefully.
RESUME
EXHIBITIONS
2017 LIFE ON EARTH, WAH Center, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
Sculptures
2014 OVER THE EDGE-PAPERWORKS UNBOUND, WAH Center, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
Works on paper
2010 LIMITED EDITIONS - UNLIMITED DESIGNS, Salomon Arts Gallery, Tribeca, NYC
Works on paper, sculptures and design products
2009 LIGHT IT UP, Salomon Arts Gallery, Tribeca, NYC
Works on paper, sculptures and design products
2007 ODE TO OUR PLANET, Gallery En Ce Moment, Brooklyn NYC
Works on paper and sculptures
2007 SCORE, The Curb Art Space, Chelsea NYC
Group show featuring the winners of www.UnitedCreators.com first online competition
2007 ODE TO OUR PLANET, TUNJI DADA Showroom, NYC
Preview of the 12 first pieces of the series; mixed media
HOT STONES (work completed but not presented publicly)
Installation with 2 stones, nickel wire and electricity
2003 SIGN DANCE, WAH Center, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
30 resin pictures floating in the air of a high-ceiling room + dance performance
2002 SEISMO-GRAPH, WAH Center, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC
40 framed one line drawings powered by movement in commuting situation
1995 CLIMAX, Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, Strasbourg, France
Installation of 2200 sf with 5 large drawings and 2 sculptures which suggest the idea of
«in-between». Including a performance lasting 30 minutes which brought together 12 dancers, actors, musicians and singers
1994 COPY/PASTE, Stimultania Gallery, Strasbourg, France
20 sculptures to suggest the relationship between a photograph and an object
1992 FIND THE ARROW, Public square, Strasbourg, France
A playful and ephemeral installation of 30 photographs in a public square
1990 IMAGE/OBJECT, Private studio, Toulouse, France
16 pieces to show the relationship between the image and the object
EDUCATION
1992 Fine Art School, Strasbourg
Specialization in graphic design and calligraphy
1990-1991 Fine Art School, Exeter, England
Specialization in sculpture and lithographic printing
1985-1990 Fine Art School, Toulouse, France
Diplome National Supérieur d’Enseignement Plastique (DNSEP ) sculpture and painting (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts)
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
2001-2020 FREE LANCE SCULPTOR / DESIGNER, NEW YORK
• Launching of Fproduct Inc, (furniture, product and industrial design studio) www.fproduct.net
• Launching of RolPal, Inc (massage instruments for myofascial release techniques) www.rolpal.com
• Research, Development and Design for several industrial design and architecture firms
• Model making, mold making and art fabrication for advertising/film industries and for artists
• Various exhibitions of designs works
1999-2001 PESCE STUDIO, PRODUCT DESIGN, NEW YORK
Assistant of Gaetano Pesce : - Development of prototypes, uniques pieces
- Research and experimentation of new materials and techniques
1992-1999 FREE LANCE SCULPTOR / GRAPHIC DESIGNER, STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Sculpture Mold making, Casting with polymers and traditional compounds, Model making,
Stone and wood carving, Fusing glass, 3D Letter and sign, Trophy,
Research and experimentation of new materials and techniques
First projects with new technologies (rapid prototyping, stereolithography, 3D program)
Graphic design: Visual identity, Sign, Calligraphy, Typographic creation, Art direction of a trinational children school handbook for Council of Europe
Museography Design and artwork for traveling exhibition, Model, Sign system, Display furniture, Graphic and relief cartography
Product design: Furnitures and Lamps
Wall painting for public and private spaces
Fine arts sculpture, painting, installation, mixed media
1991-1992 ANTOINE GRAFF STUDIO, STRASBOURG, FRANCE
Realization of limited editions of base-reliefs in resins and polymers, etching and
screen printing for the French artists Armand, César, Sosno, Villeglé.
EXPERIENCE IN THEATER AND DANCE
1998-2020 Contact Improvisation Dance
Practice, few performances
1994-1995 Kepler, the necessary language, Strasbourg, France Director : Armand Gatti (duration of the project : 8 months)
Assistant of Kung-Fu teacher for the daily physical exercise of the 60 actors
1990-1998 Martial Arts (Kung-Fu)
Practice, teaching and group demonstrations