Johan Friso Biography
Johan Friso was born in Kortrijk in 1960. He attended high school in Belgium before moving to Italy to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, but did not complete his studies. His artistic talents manifested themselves early, allowing him to develop an expressive facility that he continued to cultivate. By chance he meets the well-known art dealer Ettore Marchina, who immediately appreciates and esteems him for his strong temperament and artistic streak. Always realistic and aware of the difficulties and obstacles that people encounter in today's life, he analyzes various contemporary themes in a satirical, elegant and subtle way. Irony joins the bitterness caused by current events. Johan Friso's images are always simple and easy to read, never tied to difficult and structured paraphrases but engaging in their harshness. Johan Friso is an artist who knows how to speak to the public. His works avoid any pleasant or sweet tone, but with an almost ruthless crudeness, they tell the story of our society, the life and absurdities of a capitalist society. Often, precisely because they give a clear political interpretation of news events, they have sparked indignation and countless controversies. A composite universe, heterogeneous but which, ultimately, puts man and his daily struggles at the centre. The darkness of this difficult, harsh and uncompromising scenario is sometimes torn apart by solidarity between human beings. Technically, his sculptures are perfect. The harmonious and slender proportions recall the composure of Egyptian statues, brought into our world by sparkling and luminous paints. Refined chromatic games reflect the elements of nature, the chakras and alchemy in a strictly anthropological art.
