ABOUT

Robert Combas is a French artist and one of the leading figures of the Figuration Libre movement, which emerged in France in the late 1970s. His work developed a deliberately free and expressive visual language, drawing from popular culture, comic books, advertising, graffiti, music and everyday life.

Characterized by bold outlines, vivid colors and densely populated compositions, Combas’s paintings often bring together figures, symbols, words and fragmented narratives. Humor, provocation and social observation run throughout his work, while references to rock music, history, mythology and contemporary culture contribute to the energetic and sometimes chaotic character of his images.

Combas challenged the distinction between so-called high and popular culture, embracing a direct and spontaneous approach to painting. His distinctive graphic vocabulary became closely associated with Figuration Libre and played an important role in the renewal of figurative painting in France.

His work is represented in major public collections, including the Centre Pompidou and the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, as well as international museum collections.