artist/ Cumbone

Bertrand Montreuil, also known as Cumbone, is an artist from Rouen, born on February 24, 1978. Trained in circus arts and a free thinker, he naturally found his way into the art world through the free figuration movement.

In his early work, his lines recall Keith Haring, marked by simplicity, fluidity, and repetitive symbols. The emerging neo-pop movement soon allowed him to express his humor and penchant for reinterpretation through mash-ups. These anachronistic references, combined with characters from his imagination, result in highly intricate creations. During this period, his work blended manual drawing with vector graphics, enabling him to explore combinations and techniques rarely associated at the time. In September 2015, he contributed to the creation of the first Outsiders Gallery in Rouen.

Over the following three years, Cumbone deepened his typographic work, particularly with his “Mantraffitis,” returning to the fundamentals without abandoning his digital explorations. A new studio in 2018 marked a turning point in his career, initiating a second phase that reaffirmed his connection to free figuration. His style became distinctive for its raw, untamed energy, rich with historical references ranging from cave art to the Renaissance. During this time, he began producing large-scale works on imposing recycled materials, blending spray paint, inks, pastels, and acrylics with the irreverence and spirit that define him.