Jean Boghossian | |
Birth Date: | 3 March 1949 |
Birth Place: | Aleppo, Syria |
Nationality: | Belgian-Lebanese |
Movement: | Zero, Fluxus |
Jean Boghossian (; born 1949) is a Belgian-Lebanese artist, sculptor, and painter of Armenian descent.[1] He is one of the few artists globally who experiment by applying fire and smoke to his works.[2]
Although Jean Boghossian did not personally subscribe to any one school, he is associated with the Zero movement and Fluxus. His process involves burning paper, canvas and plastics in his works. Although working with fire usually present different shades of black and grey, Boghossian tends to incorporate a vibrant colour palette that stems from his background as an expert in diamonds, precious stones and Jewelry,[3] sometimes leading to artworks which are more colourful. To achieve this, he incorporates the use of watercolors, oil paints & pigments.
Through a process of destruction and re-creation, the boundaries between drawing, painting and sculpture seem blurred in Boghossian's work. Some of the art galleries that have worked with him in the past have called him an alchemist for his work with fire, which poses many hazard risks.[4] [5] [6]
Other works from Boghossian make use of a folding technique that looks similar to a crease pattern, as well as collage, these help add a new dimension to the artworks as they are subjected to fire in his process. Boghossian's sculptures are usually made from wood, marble, bronze or polystyrene.[7] [8] [9]