Emerging Voices - Young Artists Shaping the Parisian Art Scene
Paris is a city known for its rich artistic heritage, and today, it continues to foster a new generation of talent. This article spotlights several emerging contemporary artists who are making waves in the art scene. Each of these artists brings a unique background and distinctive style, showcasing work that is not only intriguing but also worth following. As they carve out their space alongside established figures, these voices offer fresh perspectives and exciting developments within the vibrant Parisian art community.
Xie Lei

Xie Lei is a painter whose work navigates the boundary between reality and imagination, creating a visual language that explores the complexities of human experience. His practice is rooted in personal conviction, using painting as a medium for sensory expression and experimentation. Xie’s compositions often begin with a foundation in the real world, only to evolve into ambiguous, dream-like spaces shaped by his imagination. His paintings evoke unsettling, mysterious atmospheres, often drawing upon literary or cinematic references, as well as deeply personal emotions.

Xie’s recent work delves into themes of ambiguity, exploring the liminal space between sleep and death, torment and eroticism. His use of color oscillates between dark, brooding tones and moments of luminosity, while his brushwork shifts from fluid to textured, creating a dynamic tension within each piece. Xie’s unique approach encourages viewers to slow their gaze, offering an antidote to the fast-paced nature of contemporary life, and inviting them to linger in the uncertain and the unresolved.

Xie Lei has exhibited widely in renowned institutions, including the Louis Vuitton Foundation (Paris), MO.CO (Montpellier), and the Musée National d’Histoire de l’Immigration (Paris). His work is included in significant collections such as Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary and the Albertina Museum. He has held residencies at Casa de Velázquez (Madrid, 2020-2021) and the Villa Medici (Rome, 2024).

Xie Lei
Born: 1983, China
Lives and Works: Paris, France

Nino Kapanadze

Nino Kapanadze’s artistic practice lies at the intersection of abstraction and figuration, truth and beauty, navigating a space that is both universal and personal. Her work challenges the boundaries of contemporary painting, using form and composition to engage in conceptual dialogues about visual perception and the nature of factual truth. Rather than seeking answers, Kapanadze embraces the ambiguity of these themes, allowing her work to thrive in the in-between spaces where meaning remains fluid and open to interpretation.

Kapanadze’s practice is marked by its exploration of form, shape, and texture, continuously questioning the role of painting in contemporary discourse. Her work fosters an atmosphere of intellectual curiosity, inviting viewers to engage with the complexity of her compositions and the dialogues they inspire.

Kapanadze has exhibited internationally, with solo exhibitions at Crèvecœur (Paris), LC Queisser (Tbilisi), and the Beaux-Arts de Paris. Her work has been included in group exhibitions at leading galleries and institutions, such as PERROTIN (Paris), Super Dakota (Brussels), and Le Quai contemporary art space (Monte Carlo).

Nino Kapanadze
Born: 1990, Georgia
Lives and Works: Paris, France

Alex Foxton

Alex Foxton is an artist who skillfully blends his background in fashion with his exploration of masculinity in painting. A graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (2006), Foxton's work deconstructs traditional male archetypes, revealing their inherent complexity and vulnerability. His paintings often depict historical and mythical figures—sailors, kings, military heroes—reimagined through a lens that challenges conventional notions of masculinity. These figures are portrayed with abstracted, androgynous forms, torn between serene expressions and bodies marked by tension and ecstasy.

Foxton’s use of color, often bright and non-traditional, combined with elements of glitter, contrasts sharply with the typical imagery associated with heroic masculinity. His works recall the flat colors and bold forms of artists like Picasso and Matisse, while also drawing on his experience as a luxury menswear designer for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, and Maison Margiela. This unique intersection of art and fashion informs his sensual reworking of the male body, shifting from the dominant and objective gaze to a more embodied, desirous perspective.

Foxton has held solo exhibitions including "Swoon" at Galerie Derouillon in Paris (2024) and "Trade" at Various Small Fires in Los Angeles (2023). His work has been shown in numerous group exhibitions, including at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, and Sprüth Magers. His paintings are part of public collections like the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Alongside his artistic career, Foxton continues to work part-time at Dior, where he collaborates on clothing and accessories, further blending his influence in both art and fashion.

Alex Foxton
Born: 1980, United Kingdom
Lives and Works: Paris, France

Nathanaëlle Herbelin

Nathanaëlle Herbelin is a Franco-Israeli artist whose work transforms everyday scenes into canvases that bridge the personal and the universal. Based in Paris since 2011, Herbelin graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 2016 and furthered her studies at Cooper Union in New York. Herbelin’s paintings are deeply rooted in the exploration of the ordinary, capturing mundane moments with a poetic sensibility that elevates them to the level of transcendence.

Herbelin’s work often reflects a tension between reality and fiction, with realistic compositions that harbor a sense of ambiguity. She is fascinated by the nuances of the everyday—quiet interiors, street scenes, and overlooked objects—imbuing them with emotional depth and subtle irony. Recently, her focus has expanded to include portraiture, where she captures both strangers and friends in moments of introspection, inviting viewers to consider the unspoken stories behind each gaze.

Herbelin’s work has been showcased in solo exhibitions across France, Belgium, China, and the United States. Her paintings are included in several prominent collections, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, CNAP, and FRAC Champagne-Ardenne. In 2024, Herbelin presented a solo exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay, marking a significant moment in her career as one of the rising voices in contemporary painting.

Nathanaëlle Herbelin
Born: 1989, Israel
Lives and Works: Paris, France
Christine Safa

Christine Safa is an artist whose paintings delve into the intersection of memory and landscape, capturing the essence of fleeting moments through a warm, minimalist palette. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Safa’s work reflects her deep connection to her Mediterranean roots and her exploration of emotional states. Her paintings often feature figures and silhouettes that blend seamlessly into their surroundings, creating a powerful, evocative resonance that invites viewers into an intimate contemplation of time and place.

Safa describes her paintings as fragments of memories—emotional landscapes where figures emerge, dissolve, and transform into layers of paint. Through her deliberate use of color and light, she creates a dialogue between the remembered and the forgotten, embodying the transient nature of human experience. Her work is marked by a subtle yet profound empathy, expressed in compositions that are as vibrant as they are restrained.

Safa’s work has been exhibited at prominent venues such as ICA Milan (2022), Lévy Gorvy Gallery in Paris (2021), and the Fondation Pernod Ricard (2022). Recently, she was honored with the Prix Bredin Prat, recognizing her contributions to contemporary painting.

Christine Safa
Born: 1994, Le Chesnay, France
Lives and Works: Paris, France

1 October 2024 | Artists
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