Biography

website: http://www.olivierkostathefaine.com

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 on 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.

2009

FONDATION CARTIER POUR L'ART CONTEMPORAIN, Paris, FR. (July-December 2009)

OBSERVATORI09, Valencia, ES. (June 2009)

DENTELLES, A.L.I.C.E. Gallery (Project Room), Brussels, B.

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!, Galerie Motte et Rouart, Paris, FR. (c : P. Coulon)

2008

COULEURS GALERIE/LES ECURIES DU MANEGE, Caserne Fonck, Liege, BE.
20 ANS, Galerie LJ Beaubourg, Paris, FR.
20 ANS, 85 Gallery, Antwerp, BE.
20 ANS, Station Vastemonde, St Brieuc, FR.
TRAFACKA, Prague, CZ.
FUNDAMENTALS, MU, Eindhoven, NL.
WE GO FAR BEYOND, Starter Gallery, Poznan, PL.
DRIPSY, Galerie Olivier Robert, Paris, FR.
20 ANS, Vicious Gallery, Hamburg, DE.
REBEL, Outdoor Exhibition, Thionville, FR.
GALERIE J. MORIN/ZERO GRAVITY, Galerie de l'Esplanade, ESAM, Metz, FR.

2007

SERIE NOIRE, Villa Bernasconi, Lancy, CH.
MANUAL CC, Kronika, Bytom, PL.<br/>FORUM DE LA PASSERELLE, Scène Nationale, St Brieuc, FR. (with S. François)
TTSLAB, Stazione Termini, Roma, IT.
NUIT BLANCHE, Chapelle des Calvairiennes, Mayenne, FR.
ARTISTES ENCORE UN EFFORT... AgnesB / Galerie du Jour, Paris, FR. (invited by R. Martinez)
IMAGES DU POLE/LUMEN, Orléans, FR.

2006

RENDEZ-VOUS LAVAPIES, Cruce, Arte y Pensamiento Contemporaneo, Madrid, ES.

2005

NEUROTITAN, Berlin, DE.
MONTANA GALLERY, Barcelona, ES.
EN LA FRONTERA/PRIMER ASALTO, Puerta Cinegia, Zaragoza, ES.

2004

POINT EPHEMERE, Centre de Dynamiques Artistiques, Paris, FR.

2003

PUBLIC IMAGES, CPAM, Palais des Pyrénées, Festival Acces-s, Pau, FR.
WS©, BLACK BLOCK, Palais de Tokyo, Site de Création Contemporaine, Paris, FR.
GALLERIA LAURA PECCI, Milano, IT.
TRIENALE PLAGATU, Galeria Jana Koniarka, Trnava, SL.
KING ST. INDEPENDENT STUDIOS (Project Room), Glasgow, GB.
GALLERIA D406, Modena, IT.

2002

UNICURA 2, De Appel, Centre for Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, NL.
LES_33/HET WILDE WETEN, Rotterdam, NL.
UD2, Astra Hall, Hamburg, DE.

2001

POVAZSKA GALERIA UMENIA, Zilina, SL.

2000

GALERIE DU CAHTEAU DE L'ETANG, Saran, FR.

1999

CENTRE D'ART CONTEMPORAIN, Rueil-Malmaison, FR.

1996

LA LAITERIE, Centre Européen de la Jeune Création, Strasbourg, FR.

Artfairs

 

2009 Scope / Galerie LJ - Basel - Switzerland<br

/>2009> Bridge / Galerie LJ - New York - Usa<br

/>2008> ArtBrussels / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium
2007 Slick07 / A.L.I.C.E. - Paris - France
2007 ArtBrussels / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium
2006 ArtBrussels / A.L.I.C.E. - Brussels - Belgium