Steph Cop

ARO As A Child

2012

Growing up in Paris in the 80s, the graffiti came naturally to Steph and was not particularly found as an artistic research but rather a way of meeting and adventure. Steph developed his know-how in the heart of the capital and quickly became a key figure of The “Graffiti” movement. Unknowingly, during creating the brand Homecore and Ladysoul, he participated in the creation of a new trend, later defined as the “streetwear”. He will be the artistic director until 2005. Today Steph Cop has went from Paris. Different settings but same obsessions. The walls are replaced by forests. As if to clear itself of using harmful materials, Steph isolates himself in the forests of the Morvan to recreate Aro. The ARO machined plastic turns into “Wooden Aro”. Equiped with a heavy chainsaw, the artist carves his pieces in trees full of history, and plays with the imperfections in the wood to carve majestic forms. A work like a symbolic haven where the artist is surrounded by his pieces, “imaginary friends”. Physical, material, in the Morvan of his origins when he came to settle after his wanderings in Paris … “I find myself in this place I love. With the Morvan forest. I settled down with wood. I look for damaged trees, dead, lost. I search in the forest. This is an important time. You must observe, walk, be sensitive to the nature. ” Getting lost in the woods, to better meet yourself … « Analyse Reflex Obsessional » / Wooden ARO Ultimate figure of a serie of six, ARO is the most accurate projection of Steph COP himself. The search of the pure seems to be the key, ARO is the genesis. “This work comes from my faults,” he agrees, an echo to himself … He gives us a symbolic way allegories of his emotions. So was born Aro. The meeting between the machine and the nature gave birth to Wooden ARO, a rereading of the character ARO. Chainsaw carved in different woods, as if the artist freed from the tree the piece that was already chosen. This material needs to be tamed in power and sweetness. Each piece takes time to draw, slow maturation. A natural creation that has something almost sacred, where the hand of man has only followed the lines already marked by time. Delicate lumberjack despite the noisy tool, rendering is heartbreaking sensitivity. All parts are full charged of the emotions of its creator. At first, his sculptures are formatted, they are variations on the same model then just put their hands, touch wood, to discover the essence of each, the rugged terrain, the features of the machine that carved them. Go beyond appearances, they are similar and different. The success of his work leads him to create, always, new original pieces. Wood, porcelain, vinyl, steel, concrete, as many as materials to discover the work in volume of this prolific artist.