Ponti Art Gallery is interested in buying and selling works
of art by this artist.
Robert Combas Biography
Robert Combas, born on May 25, 1957, in Lyon, France, is a pivotal figure in the contemporary art world, renowned for his significant contributions to the Figuration Libre movement. His work, deeply rooted in the depiction of the human figure, often portrays wild, violent, or orgiastic settings, reflecting the constant flux of modern life. Combas' art is a vibrant testament to his unique vision, drawing from a rich palette of cultural influences, including graffiti, comic strips, rock music, and the broader spectrum of popular culture. This blend of elements has allowed him to create a body of work that is both a critique and a celebration of contemporary society, marked by its directness, humor, and vivid coloration.
Combas' journey into the art world began in his childhood and youth spent in Sète, a Mediterranean seaport that played a crucial role in his development as an artist. His innate talent for drawing was nurtured from an early age, with his parents encouraging his artistic pursuits. This support led him to enroll at the Montpellier School of Fine Arts in 1975, where he honed his skills and began to define his distinctive artistic voice. Combas' style, characterized by its expressive forms and bold palette, emerged as a reaction against the conceptual art that dominated the art scene at the time. He sought to create art that was accessible, infused with the spirit of freedom and rebellion that characterized the punk and rock music he loved.
The early 1980s marked a turning point in Combas' career with the co-founding of the Figuration Libre movement alongside artists like Hervé Di Rosa, François Boisrond, and Rémi Blanchard. This movement was a declaration of independence from traditional artistic conventions, drawing inspiration from a diverse array of sources outside the mainstream art world. Combas and his peers embraced the spontaneity and vibrancy of street art, punk music, and underground culture, creating works that resonated with both the public and critics alike.
Throughout his career, Combas has exhibited his work worldwide, achieving international recognition and acclaim. His art has been featured in prestigious venues such as the Venice Biennale, where he represented France, and has been the subject of numerous retrospectives in France and abroad. Notable exhibitions include those at the Musée d'Art Contemporain in Lyon, the CAPC in Bordeaux, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taiwan, among others.
Combas' work is a celebration of life in all its facets, from the erotic to the romantic, the mundane to the mythical. His paintings are densely populated with characters and narratives that draw from mythology, history, and personal experiences, rendered in a style that is both expressive and graphic. This approach has allowed Combas to explore themes of sexuality, love, war, and social commentary with a directness and humor that is uniquely his own.
In recent years, Combas has continued to evolve as an artist, incorporating autobiographical elements into his work and experimenting with new mediums and techniques. His art remains a vital force in the contemporary art scene, a testament to his enduring creativity and his commitment to challenging the boundaries of artistic expression.
Robert Combas' legacy is that of an artist who has consistently pushed the limits of figuration, blending high and low cultural references to create a body of work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. His contributions to the Figuration Libre movement and his influence on subsequent generations of artists have cemented his place as one of the most important figures in contemporary art.
Robert Combas Quotes and Sales
of Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme
professionalism.
If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us
and let us know your request. We will inform you about the
available works. We also offer the possibility to
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informed at the beginning of each month about the latest
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