Jean-François Fourtou

Sans titre (Jean-Jacques mangeant), 2007

Chromogenic print
H 23.6 x 35.5 in, Edition of 5 ex

Jean-François Fourtou<br/><em>Sans titre (petit Jean-Jacques devant le lit)</em>, 2007

Sans titre (petit Jean-Jacques devant le lit), 2007

Chromogenic print
H 23.6 x 35.5 in, Edition of 5 ex

Jean-François Fourtou<br/><em>Sans titre</em>, 2017

Sans titre, 2017

Chromogenic print
H 47.3 x 97.6 in, Edition of 3 ex

He became known in the 1990s for his unique sculptures of animals'lambs, giraffes, snails, and orangutans, among others'following the inspiration of François Pompom. However, there is a fine distinction: Fourtou is less interested in animals from a naturalist's point of view than he is to evoking the world of childhood, half-magical, half-remembered, and most of all, his own. The self-portrait that Jean-François Fourtou constructs sculpturally finds its expressiveness through the astonishing art of re-creation. The objects of his focus are cabins, houses, interiors, hiding places, actual places that have disappeared, created on different scales; they are intimately linked to parts of his personal life.

Born on April 30, 1964 in Paris. He lives and works in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Awarded a diploma in 1992 by the Superior National School of Fine art, Paris, France. Many solo exhibitions have been dedicated to him during the last years: at the MAMO (Marseille) in 2014, at the FRAC Langedoc Roussillon-Iconoscope in 2005, at la Verrière in Bruxelles in 2003 ... His work also features in collective exhibitions, especially at the Musée Fesch of Ajaccio in 2011, at the Musée d'Art Contemporain of Sao Paulo in 2009, at la Grande Halle de la Villette in 2007, among others. He took part to the Festival « Fantastic » Lille 3000 in 2012, at the Marrakech Biennale in 2010 and to the Nuits Blanches in Paris in 2004 and in Rome in 2005.

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