Nicolas Frémion

From 05.09. till 20.09. 2014 the exhibition „Minwha“ of the french artist Nicolas Frémion will be shown at Affenfaust Gallery.
Originally Minhwa is a korean folk art. It consists of paintings of mythical figures, animals and plants in a specific plain, straightforward and naive style. Also Frémions drawings are plain and direct, without depth of perspective, despite a sporadic architecture, which is, like in medieval graphics, rather used to subdivide the pictorial space. His mostly small sized, enormously elaborate and fine drawings with Rotring on paper show a universe which seems rather macabre and discomforting. Next to creatures and figures which remind one on the Minhwa he shows horrifying scenes like executions, fights and degradations. A sexual element is consistent throughout the entire scenery. Everywhere erected penises appear squirting semen and sexual acts between the figures and with animals are being performed. Their faces are mostly distorted by joyful mania or pain.
Frémions unique style is not only characterized by the aesthetics of the Minhwa, but also by medieval graphics, especially by displays of war and the iconography of the danse macabre. He combines these with his simple imaging, which reminds one on children's drawings. Due to the contrast of image content to visual aesthetic, from brutal to naive, his drawings experience a noticeable impressiveness.
The medium paper enables Frémion to a simultaneous description of iconographical symbols of war, sex, violence and mythology of the most diverse cultures, epochs and religions. Here he combines all these inconsistencies and rule breaks to one vibrant reality.
The Minhwa are told to have a magical dimension as well. They shall protect virtues, families and properties. Frémions drawings show a world where this protection is entirely repealed.
Nicolas Frémion is born 1983 in Grenoble, he lives and works in Chambonas and is a member of the artist group Yassemeqk. He understands his drawings as a bridge between the hostile world and his own personal universe. His fears, desires and wishes find an existence in it.