Cheery Spermatozoon (2012) Painting by Rafael Labro

Born in 1956 in the South of France, Labro was exposed at an early age to modern painters such as Picasso, Matisse and Chagall.

At the young age of 16, he is admitted at the Fine Art School of Nice and have his first solo exhibition “Photographisme” in 1973 with artworks created on photographic paper.

He starts his professional career as set decorator for Paloma Picasso and works for renowned French directors such as Roger Planchon and Patrice Chereau.

Attracted subsequently by photography, he establishes his name working for designers such as Yamamoto Kansai, Kenzo, Jean-Paul Gaultier and many big names while taking pictures for all major fashion magazines by ways of Paris, London, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Hong-Kong and Sydney.

Labro is though more interested in pure artistic expression than in his bread and butter fashion photography and continues exhibiting and creating art works between his busy schedule. Photography is his main medium during his 20 years of photographic career but he creates art photography in unconventional ways.

Pushing technological limits using custom lenses with prisms and mirrors or ignoring “good practice” photography by taking pictures under extreme conditions like the full moon light he is the “enfant terrible” of photography but obtains corporate backings being one of the few photographers sponsored by AGFA Gevaert and Apple Inc.

He embraces the digital revolution in the 90′s which will transform photography in later years with a series of solo exhibitions “Ozone #9″, “Visions Across the Universe” and “Transmutation” using photography and computer manipulation.

In 1997 he decides to concentrate exclusively in art and he returns to the traditional medium of painting. Labro has lived in Gozo since 2003. He is inspired by the nature and spirituality of the island. Hence his huge Goddess collection. Labro won the prestigious Malta Biennale 2009. Within all his works, Labro has brought us not only visions of beauty, but also the promise of our dawning future. Surreal, captivating and complex. The viewer is given an experience far beyond the norm. Labro conveys that we can over come the fatalist thinking of our modern society. There is a synchrony to all our dreams and that we can choose the path of a vibrant paradise.

In his collection of paintings, Labro created his goddesses as strange creatures often depicted in a bulbous form with orange-brown hues and fluorescent green faces. The artist uses colours as symbols. The green colour on the face of the figures represents hope. The golden line behind the figures represents the sacred geometry.

Seemingly chaotic, his work is in reality a celebration of spiritual freedom. His paintings show a world in change, living, breathing and in constant motion.

Labro creates meaningful spontaneous expressions of the Universe.

Signaling change and awakening with his integration of ancient symbology paired with ultra modern hyper surrealism.

DIED on 2021

L...

• Nationality: FRANCE
• Date of birth : 1956
• Artistic domains: Represented by a Gallery,
• Groups: Contemporary French Artists Artists presented by a gallery