Fabrice Gygi

Swiss artist Fabrice Gygi challenges authority and order in his work. While he is primarily recognized for his performances and installations, Gygi also ventures into engraving and painting. He transforms industrial and military materials, aiming to question notions of freedom and unveil the underlying mechanisms of power.

Biography of Fabrice Gygi

Fabrice Gygi was born in 1965 in Switzerland. From 1983 to 1984, he studied at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Geneva. Later, from 1984 to 1990, he continued his education at the Ecole Supérieure d'Art Visuel in Geneva. 

He played a key role in establishing the independent contemporary art venue Forde in Geneva in 1994, and later, in 2007, he was instrumental in founding Galerie Darse, also located in the same city.

Gygi enriches Swiss contemporary art through his role as an educator. From 1997 to 2002, he shared his expertise at the École cantonale d'art de Lausanne, and currently, he imparts knowledge at the Haute École d'art et de design in Geneva.

In 1995, Gygi received a Lissignol Grant. The following year, in 1996, he was awarded the second prize at the 6th Cairo International Biennale. Fabrice Gygi also received the Swiss Federal Prize for Fine Arts in 1996, 1997, and 1998, as well as the Prix des Arts Visuels of Geneva in 2021.

His recent solo exhibitions include "Quelques nouvelles..." at Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris (2024), "Les chemins de l’ataraxie" at Wilde Gallery in Geneva (2023), "Â bâtons rompus" at Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris (2022), "Une longue vacance" at Société des Arts in Geneva (2021), and many more. Additionally, the artist has also participated in numerous group exhibitions, including the 53rd Venice Biennale, Bienal de São Paulo (2002), and the Triennale d'art en Valais (2014).

Fabrice Gygi's Art Style

Starting from the 1990s, Gygi's artistic discourse shifted gradually from one centered on the personal sphere to one encompassing broader societal themes. Through a series of installations and sculptures, he challenges individuals to confront their roles as citizens, navigating the delicate balance between protection and surveillance.

Gygi employs items typically linked to institutions and bureaucracy to critique the diverse mechanisms of authority. In his installations like the "Press Conference Room" and "Meeting Room," both showcased at a solo exhibition in 2010, he meticulously furnished two rooms to resemble official meeting spaces, complete with microphones, podiums, and chairs. Despite the meticulous preparations, the intended meetings never materialized, undermining the functionality of these spaces.

Starting in the early 2010s, Fabrice Gygi undergoes a significant shift in his artistic approach by moving away from creating installations. Instead, he delves into the production of jewelry, followed by sculptures and bas-reliefs featuring geometrical elementary forms, emphasizing abstract and pure lines. Concurrently, Gygi ventures into large-format watercolors, exploring the technique of oil painting as well. This shift allows him to depart from the precise geometry of his watercolors, while still intertwining lines in an abstract tapestry of vibrant hues.