ARTIST
L’Outsider
France
L’outsider was born in Bretagne, where he lives and works today. He discovered graffiti in 2001, at the age of 17. His studies at the École Bulle brought him to Paris, where he met new graffiti artists and with them formed the crew FD. From the very beginning, L’outsider was fascinated and enthusiastic by the freedom and energy of the graffiti practice in the urban space. Although he suffered from acute dyslexia, he worked persistently with the letters and words. With his crew he sprayed a lot in Parisian metro stations. They orientated themselves on the traditional graffiti style which was mainly known from the States. The pioneers of American graffiti, like Futura2000 and Dondi White were his first artistic role models. Gradually he developed an individual creative practice that was shaped by architecture, graphic design and contemporary art. His inspiration has been expanded by creative expressions of foreign cultures that fascinated him throughout his life. His journey to Ndebele (South Africa) led him to incorporate ethnic imagery and ancient pictorial patterns. During his journey through Japan, he also included their aesthetic foundations, from ancient calligraphic tradition to pop culture, in his repertoire.
Eventually, his work shifted from the “outside” space to the “inside” space. Working in the studio and producing canvases opened the door to the gallery and art world. This resulted in exhibitions in Paris, Zurich, Weil am Rhein and other European cities. Nevertheless, he always continues to the practice in the urban space, which is mostly based on spontaneity, intuition and site specificity.
