ABOUT

Clovis Retif is a French visual artist based in Paris. After studying product design at Saint-Luc in Belgium, he worked for two years in global design in Paris. He then moved to Canada, where he fully dedicated himself to drawing. In 2019, he was invited by the Galerie Luz on Sainte-Catherine Avenue in Montreal to present his first solo series of drawings, "Contemporary Solitude," an exhibition marking the beginning of his artistic career.

In 2022, Clovis returned to Paris, where his work took a significant turn with the introduction of color and a more instinctive and personal approach to drawing, combining painting and pastel. He quickly expanded his technique to new mediums, such as hand-drawn vintage clothing, glazed pottery, furniture, and murals. His themes are varied, but he always seeks to tell a story, whether it involves forgotten historical figures or fictitious characters. He explores these subjects primarily through the representation of objects and symbols, delving into themes such as the sacralization of objects, their transformation into relics, as well as memory and our perception of reality.

Clovis Retif has presented his works in Paris, Brussels, Montreal, and New York through a score of exhibitions. His work has been published in various media outlets such as Le Figaro, The Good Life, MAD, France Inter, L’OBS, Wallpaper, The New York Times, and Forbes. He has also collaborated with various brands for creations or art direction, notably Hermès, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, TRVDON, The Experimental Group, Le Royal Mansour, Manolo Blahnik, La Poste, Octobre Éditions, and Zadig & Voltaire. Clovis Retif continues to live and work in Paris, where he pursues his creative explorations with a strong emphasis on aesthetics and immersion.