Late 80’s, Steph Cop was part of the first French graffiti movement. Activist within the group “Control of Paris”. Renowned for covering the palisades of the Louvre Pyramid in graffiti during its construction in 1986, he became one of the artists of this movement.
In 1992, he participated in the creation of a new trend later defined as “streetwear”, through his own brands ” Homecore ” and ” Lady Soul “.
In 1998, Steph Cop then moved to the physical representation of the graphic world by creating one of the first “Art Toys” with his vinyl character, A.R.O, “Analyse Reflexe Obsessionnelle » (Obsessive Reflex Analysis), which sells worldwide.
In 2007, he chose to isolate himself in the heart of the forests of Morvan to recreate A.R.O..
His works are now part of the most prestigious public and private collections.
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Since he moved deep in Morvan, Steph.Cop has come a long way, striding tirelessly forests of the black mountains seeking these fallen trees that some usually reserve for domestic hearth, but in the heart of which he reveals, in his chainsaws banging noise, the Wooden Aro, constantly reinvented incarnation of his emotions.
Steph.Cop is not ready to get to the end, as he must always go further, higher, constantly resort to new techniques or new wood, from Japanese Shou-sugi-ban to the Atlas Mountains cedar, when it is not about to tame bronze or Carrera marble. The study has a special place in the work of the contemporary sculptor, who carves using a gouge and a knife model of a few centimeters or uses pastels against metal and paper.
Most recently, Steph Cop deploys an immersive artistic research in the forest of the Black Mountains of Morvan.
His artistic approach is inspired by this ecosystem, establishing a link between art and the living.
By sculpting fallen trees, he prolongs their existence through figures that tell their story.
The artist seeks to translate, through his sculpted forms, the unique stories of trees at the twilight of their lives.
After exploring a series of nine ARO sculptures representing avatars of the tree, Steph Cop is moving towards a quest for the naturalness of the tree in his new cycle of sculptures, “Before We Are”.
Here, he leaves his own vision to discover the existential form of trees, revealing their essence through travel and in situ paths. This work gives rise to the Nagori abstracts and counter-forms, true sculptural enigmas which bear witness to the incompleteness and enrich his work, called Canopus [MoonAro³].
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Exposition Personnelle – “NEUROGAMIE” – 5 Octobre > 3 Novembre 2012
Exposition Personnelle – “ASYMMETRIA” – 21 Octobre > 20 Novembre 2016
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 | ATELIER en Morvan, Villiers, parc naturel du Morvan,FR
2023 | CANOPUS, Galerie Slika, Lyon, FR
2022 | CAMINOBLU4363, Résidence, Guanacaste, CR
2021 | 8.0 VERTICALE BLEUE, Résidence, Grisy les platres, FR
2019 | AVANT QUE NOUS SOYONS 3542 Nagori, Galerie Slika, Lyon, FR
2019 | IX ALLEGORIE, Galerie Slika, Lyon, FR
2019 | « IX. ANTONOMASE ». Secret Gallery. Paris ( France)
2017 | « COPELINI ». Galerie Slika. Lyon ( France)
2016 | « ASYMMETRIA ». David Bloch Gallery. Marrakech (Maroc)
2015 | « ASYMPTOTE ». Kolly Gallery. Zurich (Suisse)
2014 | « CHARACTERS ». Percept Gallery. Lyon (France)
2014 | Aro 3.0, projet 5/FG FINE ART. Paris (France)
2013 | Solo show. Installation 5.0 Monumental. Fondation Zoraides (Monaco)
2012 | « NEUROGAMIE ». Monumental cèdres du Maroc. David Bloch Gallery. Marrakech (Maroc)
2012 | Solo Show. Installation Aro Monumental, FG Fine Art. Port de Cannes (France)
2012 | « ARO MONUMENTAL ». Fondation d’art Américaine. Chateau de la Napoule. (France)
2011 | « CEREBRUMSTRUCTURA ». Space Junk. Place des Vosges. Paris (France)
2010 | « ARO ». Cannes (France)
2010 | Aro / Feiyue. Librairie OFR. Paris (France)
2010 | Aro. ZincArt gallery. KualaLumpur (Malaisie)
2009 | Aro. Artoyz. Paris (France)
2009 | Aro. Artoyz. Lyon (France)
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
2024 | Layup #4, Toulouse , FR
2023 | CAMINOBLU4363, FONDATION Manuel Riviera-Ortiz, Les Rencontres de la Photographies, Arles, FR
2019 | SIECLE SOULAGES, Rodez, FR
2019 | BIENNALE DE LYON, Hors les Murs, Lyon, FR 2018
2019 | MOMENTUM, The French Art Dealeuse, Paris, FR
2019 | PAPER AND WOOD, The French Art Dealeuse, Paris, FR
2017 | BRUTAL FUTUR, L’Appartement, Marseille, FR
2017 | « WHO’S YOUR DADDY ? » . Kolly Gallery . Lausanne (Suisse)
2017 | « KOMELA » . La Palme D’Or . Hotel Martinez-Grand Hyatt . Cannes (France)
2017 | Collective show. David Bloch Gallery. Marrakech (Maroc)
2016 | « SWISS CHEESE ». Espace Oppidum. Kolly Gallery. Paris (France)
2015 | Group Show. Présentation du bronze 73 cm. Musée MACM de Mougins (france)
2014 | Chèvre d’Or pour les 60 ans du 5 étoiles. Avec Nicolas Lavarenne, Serge Van de Put, Milthon, Sosno, Arman. Eze (France)
2013 | « ALL THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT ». Roquebrune Cap Martin (France)
2013 | Calmet X Steph.Cop. Seize Gallery. Marseille (France)
2012 | Aeroport de Cannes. Mandelieu (France)
2011 | « Essence ». Space Junk. Lyon, Bayonne, Grenoble (France)
2010 | RAW- ArtyFarty. Cologne (Allemagne)
2010 | « LA OU IL PLEUVINE ».Saulieu (France)
2010 | Singapor, SG
2010 | Australie, AUSTRALIE
INSTALLATIONS
2018 | Axiom 3.0, Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, MA
2017 | Eloge de la lenteur 3.0. Parc naturel du Morvan. ( France)
2015 | 5.0 Monumental, hors les murs. Mougins (France)
2015 | Installation. Aro le Cube 270. Ville de Cagnes (france)
2014 | Installation 5.0 mètres. Port de Cannes (France)
2014 | Installation Aro 3.0. Saut De Gouloux. Parc Naturel du Morvan (France)
2014 | Installation Aro 280. Mougins (France)
2011 | Acquisition Aro en béton 240, Bayonne. (France)
EDITION
2023 | “Caminoblu 4363”, Steph Cop, Balint Pörneczi, Noires Montagnes Éditions.
2020 | IX Arbre, Steph Cop, Balint Pörneczi, Noires Montagnes Éditions.
2019 | “L’ARBRE” séquoia de Rodez, Noires Montagnes Éditions.
2018 | “ARO. 80” + Édition de tête. Monographie de Steph Cop, Édition Koméla.
