NICOLAS FAUBERT
Art Director
Born in 1991 in Libreville, Gabon, Nicolas Faubert is a visually impaired dancer and performer based in Paris. Overcoming a handicap that impairs over 80% of his vision, he developed a unique perspective of movement and space, commencing his journey with Popping and expanding to other dance genres like Hip-Hop, House, and Locking. While shaping his career as a dancer, he engaged in event organization and cultural mediation, endeavoring to instill values of self-surpassing. His distinctive approach to dance caught the attention of visual artist Laure Prouvost, leading to his selection for a project at the 2019 Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art, where he performed for seven months, contributing to his self-definition as a "character" rather than merely a dancer. Through dance, Nicolas sought to create social unity and awareness of disability, employing different dance forms to craft Kryzastyle - a representation of his world, story, and the essence of his dance philosophy.
Following a two-year residency at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, Faubert opened his artistic practice to new mediums, with a focus on making culture accessible to all. His unique pedagogical approach and his zeal to share his knowledge led to his exploration of innovative ways to transcribe performances. This, coupled with his desire to convey not only the performance but also his emotions as a dancer, expanded his artistic scope beyond just dance. He made several notable performances, including at the Bibliothèques Idéales and the Balice Hertling gallery in Paris, as well as in videos by artist Mona Varichon. In 2021, Faubert took on roles as a choreographer, improvisation coach, actor, and movement scenographer for the work “Rescue Dummies,” which won the Special Prize of the Future Generation Art Prize in Kyiv. In the subsequent year, he conducted research on movement and decolonization at the Delfina Foundation in London, culminating in a performance at the 59th Venice Biennale. Simultaneously, he started to exhibit his visual works, highlighting his diverse artistic talents.
GABRIEL MORAES AQUINO
Art Director
Born in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gabriel Moraes Aquino is a Paris-based artist who graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 2020. He often incorporates photographic plasticity in his work, exploring themes of tropicalism and mobility through projects such as Parada Crua (2020), capturing Parisian wanderings during Brazil's independence celebration, and Negative Palms (2021-2022), featuring prints of European palm trees. His work often examines cultural displacement and geographical remoteness, juxtaposing these themes with conviviality through simple yet significant actions like exchanging words and coconuts in Fortune Coconuts (2021) or giving a Friendly Haircut (2018). Despite his travels, Aquino, who has been living in France since 2017, showcases a profound connection to the 'local' scale and relational dynamics, typically working in situ and engaging in collaborative practices.
In 2022, Aquino participated in several exhibitions including the “100% EXPO” at La Villette, the “Battle Piece” cultural intervention at the Fiminco Foundation in collaboration with Nicolas Faubert, and “Garage Band” by Hatch. His ongoing project, Battle Piece (2022 – present), features a community of dancers and duels of hip hop and various styles, exploring the theme of dance as a universal language and a survival mechanism. The artist's communal approach extends into 2022-2023, with plans to collaborate with the Orange Rouge association and the Ateliers Medicis for projects with young college students, present his winning project from the Regional Fund for Emerging Talents (FoRTE), and contribute to the "Texture" project in collaboration with Nicolas Faubert and the Institute for Young Blind People, set to be showcased at the Bourse de Commerce - Collection Pinault.