Romain Froquet
Romain Froquet is a french artist, born in 1982 in Villeurbanne (Fr). He lives and works in Paris.
The works of Romain Froquet are an invitation to the fantasy and the uniqueness of a universe stemming from his own subconscious. Froquet, a self-taught artist directs his passion for drawing to diverse mediums without prejudice. He is as comfortable painting on an easel, or on the street enveloping the walls of lost dismal areas of town or creating site specific installations. He wishes to express himself with or without a public sometimes choosing obscure urban areas to dress the walls with his delicate tree like representations that bring color and joy to an otherwise gloomy background. The surface is of no importance nor the visibility of his installations, here he presents himself as an ephemeral artist and as a performer —it is his process that becomes paramount not the actual public display.
Froquet’s work is a condensation of complexities. His constant struggle to conciliate the abstract with the figurative pushes him to an almost surreal state of mind whereby the completion of the artwork is no longer the primary goal but the vehicle to an ulterior motive. This finale for which he perseveres becomes a lifeboat that transports him constantly to new experimentation. Each new drawing, painting or ephemeral intervention becomes the relic that documents and preserves research, gesture and experience. Tormented by his desire for freedom from the classical rigors which are revealed in the colorful manga drawings he delicately marries to primitive African stylizations of figurative elements. Froquet remains however faithful to the exactitude and perfection dictated by architectures and spacial relations. His mood, his inspiration and the constant need for gesture, line and continual movement recall the nervous and excited abstractions of Pollock and Riopelle.
References abound in the artworks created by this young autodidact with an old soul. It is Arshile Gorky’s work however that I can see most clearly impregnated in his stroke. Gorky insisted on projecting ideas from his past and personal history through a novel technique at a time period when all seemed to have been said in abstraction. He was unafraid to reference and to reinvent past styles and strokes of his contemporaries such as Pollock and De Kooning. He clearly stated his mindset in his many quotes. " Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with this eyes... Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an explosion into the unknown areas."
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018
THE NATURE OF MAGNETISM, Askeri Gallery, Moscow, Russia
URBAN ART FAIR SOLO SHOWS, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
ABOVE THE LINE, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
2017
EXPOSITION PERSONNELLE, Les Cadres Gault, Genève, Switzerland
LUNAIRE, Galerie Artistik Rezo, Paris, France
2016
CINNAMON, Galerie Art&Craft, Paris, France
ATȎMES, Askeri Gallery, Moscow, Russia
HIGHWAY, Espace ArtAsia Paris, France
BOHEMIA, Galerie NUNC !, Grenoble, France
2015
HÉMISPHÈRE, Galerie Clémouchka, Lyon, France
GESTURE AND LINE, Yvonamor Palix Gallery, Houston, USA
2014
EXPOSITION PERSONNELLE, Les Cadres Gault, Genève, Switzerland
RACINES, Road Art Gallery, Marseille, France
2013
RACINES, Galerie L’Espace, Dijon, France
2012
AMBIVALENCE, Galerie L’Espace, Dijon, France
EMPREINTE, XOYO Gallery, London, UK
EMPREINTE, H2 Basement Gallery, Paris, France
2009
FILIGRANE, l’Arrière Boutique, Paris, France
GROUP PROJECTS
2018
GRACIOUS ART, Askeri Gallery, Moscow, Russia
ARСH MOSCOW, Moscow, Russia
VARIATIONS, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
LEGENDES URBAINES, Base sous Marine, Bordeaux, France | Curated by Nicolas Laugero Lasserre
URBAN ART FAIR, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
URBAN ART FAIR, Galerie Artistik Rezo, Paris, France
FOIRE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN, Lille, France| Curated by Galerie Joël Knafo
2017
URBAN LEGENDS, Sagamore Hotel, Miami, USA | Curated by Sébastien Laboureau
8E AVENUE, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
BIRTHDAY, Galerie Ground Effect, Paris, France
URBAN ARTWOOD, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
NOCTURNE RIVE DROITE, Les Cadres Gault, Paris, France
URBAN ART FAIR, Galerie Joël Knafo, Paris, France
URBAN ART FAIR, Galerie Artistik Rezo, Paris, France
COLLECTIVE, Galerie NUNC !, Paris, France
FRENCH PAVILLON, Houston, USA | Curated by Yvonamor Palix
2016
25 ANS DE CRÉATION COLLECTIVE, Le Flow, Lille, France | 9ème Concept
L’USINE FANTASTIQUE, Puces de Saint-Ouen, Paris, France | Curated by Marie Dufour
STROKAR, Bruxelles, Belgium
2015
RESIDENCE AVANT DESTRUCTION, Galerie Brugier Rigai, Paris, France | Curated by Stéphane Carricondo
MUTATION, Galerie Art&Craft, Paris, France | Curated by Vincent Tiercin
CHILD FOR CARE, Piasa, Paris, France | Curated by France Inde Karnataka
PARCOURS AUCWIN, Galerie Amarrage, Saint-Ouent, France | Curated by Jungle / J.Romain
SEULES LES TRACES FONT RÊVER, 29 Maubourg, Paris, France | Curated by G.Bloch / F.Allègre
LA VILLE CONTINENT, Omniparis, Paris, France | Curated by Val Dan
2014
FREEDOM, Wynwood, Miami, USA
AVANT DESTRUCTION, Musée Carré Bonnat, Bayonne, France | Curated by Christelle Vessot
UNDEFINED, 6B, Saint-Denis, France | Curated by Joachim Romain & Jungle
25EME ETAGE, Tour Pleyel, Saint-Denis, France | Curated by Stephane Carricondo
METAMORPHOSE, Obliq, Paris, France
FRENCH STREET ART, Galerie Mines d’Art, Genève, Switzerland| Curated by Frédéric Claquin
2013
LA NOCTURNE RIVE DROITE, Les Cadres Gault, Paris, France | Curated by Vincent Tiercin
DRAWING IS NOT A CRIME, Galerie du Pont Neuf, Paris, France | Curated by Frédéric Claquin
OPEN THE DOOR, Houston, USA | Co-curator with Karine Parker-Lemoyne & TFAA
LES BAINS, Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris, France | Curated by Magda Danysz
2012
TOUS LES CHEMINS MENENT A MARSEILLE, Road Art Gallery, Marseille, France
URBAN DECAY, Ravi Gallery, Hyderabad, India | Curated by Rahul Mitra
FRESH, Yvonamor Palix Gallery, Houston, USA | Curated by Yvonamor Palix
SUR PAPIER, Yvonamor Palix Gallery, Houston, USA | Curated by Yvonamor Palix
2011
GO WEST, UNESCO, Paris / Williams tower, Houston, USA | Curated by Karine Parker-Lemoyne
PERMIS DE CONSTRUIRE, Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt, Paris, France | Curated by 9ème concept
2010
LE MUR, Espace des Blancs manteaux, Paris, France | Curated by Le Mur
2009
IMAGINE, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France | Co-curator with 9ème concept
SCRATCH PAPER, l’Arrière Boutique, Paris, France | Curated by 9ème concept
2007
COLLECTORS, La Belleviloise, Paris, France | Curated by 9ème concept
2005
SANG 9, Galeria la Santa, Barcelona, Spain | Curated by 9ème concept
2004
SANG 9, Centre d’art en l’île, Genèva, Switzerland | Curated by 9ème concept
SANG 9, MK2 Bibliothèque, Paris, France | Curated by 9ème concept
COMME A LA MAISON, The Lazy dog, Paris, France | Curated by Romuald Stivine
SALON DE COMPARAISON, Paris, France
2003
SANG 9, Kitchen 93 gallery, Paris, France | Curated by Rosaline Fay-Boehlinger
2002
LE LABYRINTHE, Anglet, France | Curated by 9ème concept
SANG 9, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris, France | Curated by Magda Danysz
IN SITU
2018
PLAYGROUND DES HALLES, Paris, France | Curated by Mairie de Paris
TREES, Savigny-le-Temple, France | Curated by Paris Grand Sud
MARSEILLE STREET ART SHOW, France | Curated by Galerie Saint Laurent
RAINBOW, Bonneuil sur Marne, France | Stuart Magazine
HOTEL MERCURE MONTMARTRE, Paris, France
ANAMORPHOSE, VENTE PRIVEE, Paris, France | Curated by Nicolas Laugero Lasserre
VITRINE DU PRINTEMPS DE LA FEMME, Paris, France | Le Printemps
NATURALIA BOULOGNE, Paris, France
2017
CROSSROADS, Wynwood, Miami, USA | Fabien Castanier Gallery wall
LE MUR BORDEAUX, France | Curated by Pierre Lecaroz
HISTOIRES URBAINES 0.1, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France | Curated by Galerie 36e Art
QUARTIER DES ORMES, Igny, France | Curated by France Habitation
LA MAISON RE-GENERATION, Lyon, France | Curated by Madame Chat
HOTEL CITIZEN, Paris, France
‘VESNA’ TRADE CENTER (BOSCO DI CILIEGI), Moscow, Russia | Curated by Polina Askeri and Igor Kazakov
LE PRINTEMPS DE L’HOMME, Paris, France | Curated by B.Laumaillé et F.Banchet
2016
BIBLIOTHÈQUE AIMÉ CÉSAIRE, Paris, France
LES MONDES SOUTERRAINS, Art 42, Paris, France | Curated by Nicolas Laugero Lasserre
RADIOGRAPHIK, La Maison de la Radio, Paris, France | Curated by Artazoï and Lek
K-LIVE, Sète, France
ART42, Musée d’Art Ubain, Paris, France | Curated by Nicolas Laugero Lasserre
SQUARE SAINT-ELOI, Paris, France | Curated by Association Cicero
LE MUR CHERBOURG, France
LE MUR DE L’ÂGE D’OR, Paris, France
FRANCS COLLEURS, France
HOTEL NEGRE COSTE, Aix en Provence, France
NATURALIA, Paris, France
2015
SAWGRASS GROUND HOTEL, Miami, USA
STUDIO 13-16 CENTRE GEORGE POMPIDOU, Paris, France | Curated by Martin Bourguignat
AUX TABLEAUX, Marseille, France | Curated by A.D’Alessio et Juxtapoz
150 ANS DU PRINTEMPS, Paris, France | Curated by B.Laumaillé et F.Banchet
AUCWIN, Saint Denis, France | Curated by J.Romain et Jungle
MUR DU SQUARE KARCHER, Paris, France | Curated by Artazoi
KIOSQUE, Bagneux, France | France Habitation et Apes
2014
TREES, Wynwood, Miami, USA
THE CARGO SPACE, Rice University, Houston, USA | Curated by Christopher Sperandio
L’ETÉ AU CANAL, Seine Saint Denis, France | Curated by Artazoi
MONTPELLIER FAIT LE MUR, Montpellier, France | Curated by Coralie Meunier
2013
GENESIS, Lycée du Nivolet, Chambéry, France
LE M.U.R, Marseille, France | Curated by Juxtapoz
2012
MAIN STREET PROJECTS, with Rahul Mitra, Houston, USA
LA MAIN DE L’HOMME, Central 7, Nyoiseau, France
2011
INSTALLATION, with Clemens Behr, Bagnolet, France
CO-BRANDING | ARTIST EDITION
2013 Rossignol
2012 Haviland
2011 F.S.T HANDWEAR
2010 Coach
2009 Desperados