French artist Nicolas Barrome’s wild, cartoonish scenes play with texture and expectation. He does this both on the canvas and on walls, with each piece tethered by Barrome’s rendering of cutesy characters and objects alongside darker elements. In a statement, the artist’s swirling influences are given some context.
“Passionate about cinema and directing, obsessed with frames and textures, his universe is furnished and detailed, his images often complex and with several levels of reading,” it says. “(With) Nicolas, we cross all sorts of hairy animals, squinting dogs, giant octopuses … He can give life to fruits and vegetables, make fun of religious icons or put on images his childhood memories such as the funfair or the mother’s dishes. Without limiting himself, it borrows both the great masters of classical painting and the creators of SpongeBob.”
The artist recently collaborated with Adidas Originals to help mark the opening of its new flagship store in Paris. Artist Sebastien Touache also took part in the project.
