artist/ Lapie

France

Christian Lapie studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Reims (1972-1977) and later at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1977-1979). Initially a painter, he worked with chalk, oxides, and ashes on rough tarps mounted on rudimentary frames. Over time, his materials evolved to include sheet metal, cement, and charred wood. A creative residency in the Amazon rainforest gave him the impetus to transition to monumental sculptures. In Champagne, where he resides, his raw, charred wood figures echo the bloody history of this land, marked by the battles of World War I. Universal in scope, his work reflects deeply on our relationship with the world and our own identity. His techniques, basic if not rudimentary, immortalize a memorable image—a presence that feels both near and distant, embodying a resolute “being-in-the-world.” Artists who dedicate their work to interacting with landscapes inevitably become nomadic, and Christian Lapie is no exception; for over a decade, he has been commissioned to create installations worldwide.