Biography

Born in 1972. Olivier Kosta-Théfaine lives and works in Paris, France.

In each of his interventions, Olivier Kosta-Théfaine (Stak) plays with the codes and clichés of popular culture. He uses the languages and codes of the city and its suburbs, changing or modifying their original meaning so it can be understood by a broader public. His reflection is essentially based in rehabilitating the, often deconsidered, elements that belong to the city.

His fascination for the suburbs has switched to a passion that is essential to his everyday work; The city is his muse, the drive for his artistic inspiration.

He tries to decipher a discredited world through simple and ironic little mechanisms which he then transposes into galleries. By introducing the language of popular culture into the white cube, Stak uses the suburb’s many clichés, plays with the truth and distorts the elements of pop culture.

Stak makes fun of himself ... While others wear a tie and work on improving their table manners, he’s proud of being “38% chav” and claims it loud and clear. His work is more ironic than fundamentally serious. He asserts his pride of belonging to the concrete universe of suburbs, on the edge between glam and pop.

2008

ArtBrussels / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium 

Dripsy - Galerie Olivier Robert. Artists:  S. Bernheim / J. Divola / O. Kosta-Théfaine / B. Mcgee / The Ers / J. Naar / S. Powers / F. Scurti / A. Slonina / P. Cots - Paris - France

Visual Attack! - (Faces&Laces 2008). Artists:B. Tellegen / Point / O. K-T and more
Arsenal complex, Zubovski boulevard 2, Moscow.

Galerie J. Morin / Zero gravity - Galerie de l'Esplanade - Esam - Metz - France

2007

Serie Noire - Villa Bernasconi - Lancy - Switzerland (c : Buy-Self)

La Passerelle - Scène Nationale - St Brieuc - France (with S. François)

TTSLab - Stazione Termini - Roma - Italy

Nuit Blanche - Chapelle des Calvairiennes - Mayenne - France

Slick07 / A.L.I.C.E. - Paris - France

Art Brussels / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium

Artistes, encore un effort… - Galerie du Jour Agnes B. (invited by Roberto Martinez) - Paris - France

Creation & Edition of Nusign*, Art in Progress (magazine - in collaboration with L’Araignée) - Paris - France

2006

Addict - Laetitia Hecht / Addict Gallery - Paris - France

Rendez-vous Lavapiés - Cruce Gallery - Madrid - Spain

Art Brussels (Art Fair) / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium

2005

Artazart Gallery - Paris - France

P.S. - Neurotitan Gallery - Berlin - Germany

2004

Point Ephémère, Centre de Dynamiques Artistiques (curated by Jean-Marc Avrilla) - Paris - France

Outdoor Exhibition - Granma - Roma - Italy

Stazione Centrale di Milano - Milano - Italy

2003

Public images - CPAM - Palais des Pyrénées - Acces-s Festival - Pau - France

WorldSigns © - Black Block - Palais de Tokyo - Site de Création Contemporaine - Paris - France

Ancien Hôtel de Ville - Differdange - Luxembourg

Laura Pecci Gallery (curated by DropDrop) - Milano - Italy

Trienale Plagatu - Jana Koniarka Gallery - Trnava - Slovaquia

King St. Independent Studios (Project Room - curated by Rottenrow Workshop) - Glasgow - Scotland

D406 Gallery - Modena - Italy

Young creation - Espace Charlie Parker - Grande Halle de La Villette - Paris - France

2002

Creation & Edition de WorldSigns© Art & Street (magazine) - Paris - France

Urban Discipline 2002 - Astra Hall - Bavaria St Pauli Brewery - Hamburg - Germany

Unicura 2 - De Appel - Centre for Contemporary Art (invited by Jeroen Jongeleen) - Amsterdam - The Netherlands

9eme Courant d'Art - Elie de Brignac Ets - Deauville - France

Les_33 / Het Wilde Weten - Rotterdam - The Netherlands.

2001

Povazska Galeria Umenia (curated by Truc Spheric) - Zilina - Slovaquia

2000

Château de l'Etang Gallery - Saran - France

1999

Centre for Contemporary Arts - Rueil - Malmaison - France

1996

La Laiterie – European Centre for Young Creation - Strasbourg - France