Christian Bonnefoi

Christian Bonnefoi's oeuvre is characterized by its anti-representational, anti-fictional, and anti-subjective nature, aimed at profoundly altering the traditional constructs of painting.

His work revolves around a radical approach to disassembling and reassembling the fundamental components of the art form: surface, frame, gesture, color, and drawing. In Bonnefoi's creations, gesture intertwines with line, composition merges with lyricism, and surface interacts with depth, resulting in a dynamic synthesis that challenges conventional artistic boundaries.

Biogrpahy of Christian Bonnefoi

Born in 1948 in Salindres, located in the Gard region of France, Christian Bonnefoi currently resides and practices his art in Changy and Paris. He holds a degree in Social Sciences from EPHE (Ecole pratique des hautes etudes, Paris), and he pursued further academic endeavors, earning a PhD in Art History from the Sorbonne.

In 2008-2009, the prestigious Georges Pompidou Centre in Paris hosted a retrospective exhibition showcasing Bonnefoi's body of work, providing a comprehensive overview of his artistic journey and contributions to the art world.

Christian Bonnefoi's Art Style

Christian Bonnefoi's artistic style is deeply rooted in the studies of Russian Constructivists and cubist collages, which serve as the cornerstone of his theoretical framework. For Bonnefoi, the essence of artistic creation begins with collage. While primarily recognized as a painter, he is equally esteemed as a theorist, with his paintings serving as visual manifestations of his theoretical musings.

Preferring a logic of construction over deconstruction, Bonnefoi's primary objective is to generate a tangible surface, becoming the focal point of his artworks. His technique often involves meticulous gluing, employing large sheets of tissue paper arranged edge to edge and delicate strips of tartalane woven together, exerting pressure on the wall's support through pins and adhesive. This method engenders tension variances that stimulate a dynamic interplay between the wall and the vibrant hues of the tissue paper.

Bonnefoi's creative process hinges on an ongoing dialogue, oscillating between front and back, right side and wrong side, within a spatial paradox that prioritizes arrangement over surface aesthetics.