LEK “FRACTAL” MAY 2017
The David Bloch Gallery is honored to present the first solo exhibition of French artist LEK in Marrakech.
Winner of the Rome prize with SOWAT and artist resident at the Villa Medicis in 2016, LEK is an iconic figure of French graffiti in the 90s.
He is at the origin of the “Mausolée” project with Sowat, a monumental clandestine exhibition revealed in 2012 in a book that opened to them the Palais de Tokyo where he set up an experimental exhibition of more than two years which had an international echo.Lek exhibited at the Grand Palais in Paris (2006 and 2009), at the Bains-Douches (2013), the two sessions of the “Musée Imaginaire” (2012 and 2013), in Beaubourg in March 2013 with SOWAT and jacques Villeglé or at the Tour Paris 13.
Resident artist since 2011, LEK has already been exhibited his work accompanied by SOWAT and Arnaud Liard for the exhibition “CONTREBANDE” in March 2014 during the Marrakech Art Biennial.
The artist present a series of new works on canvas and metal as well as an installation in-situ.
The vernissage took place on Friday 5 May in the presence of the artist.
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« Born in 1971
Raised in Paris 19th district, during France’s graffiti glory age, known as “Stalingrad”, Lek developed his graphical style in the end of the 80’s, mixing graffiti with influences like Bauhaus, abstraction , futurism and years of studying architecture. With Hof and Osean, he created the LCA crew who brought graffiti’s classic code towards more minimalists compositions. His letters seem glitched, deconstructed. Quickly emancipating himself from the meaning of these letters, Lek chose to focus rather on their strenth lines, their graphic shapes, directions and counterpoints, making them interact with their immediate environment.
Usually working in abandoned industrial areas, the rigid compositions of Lek adapt themselves to the constraints of their natural habitat. His letter fragments act as dynamics lacerating space, revealing or canceling it, opening new perspectives in these chaotic areas. Using precarious meidums, he also created installations, reflecting his pictural dynamics in volume through the space.
Lek is the co-author of Nothing but letters (Wasted Talent édition, 2009) with Yko. Their pictorial experiments have influenced many other artists (such as the use of a pierced spraycans as painting tools).
With Sowat, he is at the origin of the “Mausolée” project, a monumental underground exhibition revealed in 2012 through a book, a video and an exhibition that opened to both artists, the doors of the Palais de Tokyo. »
Hugo Vitrani