Zafi

Born in 1946 in Paris, Jean-Claude Fitoussi alias Zafi by his artist name which is a tribute to his parents, is a painter who lives and works in the heart of the city of Cognac.

Coming from a family of 11 children, he spent part of his youth in a recovery center in Bel-ile-en-mer. It was during this period that he first found this desire to paint, probably a deep desire to express himself, to exteriorize. Only, it will be oriented towards an all-way, that of the building.

It was only later, when he worked for the Parisian newspaper France-Soir, that his artistic side resurfaced. Jean-Claude Fitoussi then immersed himself in photography, he surveyed Paris with his camera in a style à la Cartier-Bresson Robert or Doisneau. It was his first artistic activity, but the photo tires him quickly. It was from 1968 that Jean-Claude Fitoussi began to frequent Parisian museums, he even went so far as to go to Auvers-sur-Oise to visit Vincent Van Gogh's tomb, as well as the room where the painter lived.

Self-taught, Jean-Claude is like a sponge who soaks up the great masters, and in particular Pablo Picasso for whom he is passionate about as well as cubism, a universe in which he will finally find something to feed his desire for creation, he watches, reads , studies, learns to handle the brush, to master the colors, the shapes painting and repainting again and again, before finally allowing himself to express himself by himself, then transmitting his own universe.

Now the technique mastered, his inimitable style combines cubism and figuration, where geometric shapes and powerful colors explode. But it must be said that the palette of the artist is wide, Zafi likes to agree a few deviations by mixing styles and genres, is therefore to associate with a certain disconcerting ease his famous characters with other styles. Like a cellar master, he assembles, mixes, composes until self-satisfaction, without ever forgetting the heart of his art, cubism, of which he will say “there is no limit, cubism is an endless creation. …".

Zafi's work leaves less and less indifferent Regularly associated with the world of fashion since 2018, the painter's creations are causing a sensation among young fashion designers, one of whom will go so far as to draw inspiration from Zafi's painting.

2018 is an important year, the works of the artist from Cognac seduce the famous American promoter-architect Mohamed Hadid, painter and above all already recognized throughout the world for his real estate creations. A real crush on Zafi's paintings, an exceptional human and artistic collaboration will be born between these two enthusiasts and artists and the regular creation of various works between Cognac and Los Angeles. Also in the same year, the great Arts Magazine International devoted its cover to the artist's work and quoted "Inspirational and inspiring works, masterfully renewing the Cubism movement". A nice destiny for the painter Zafi, when we know that Fernande Olivier, Pablo Picasso's first wife, rests in Cognac, very close to her studio.

After a long complicated period for culture following the health crisis, followed by a difficult economic situation, Zafi is making 2023 an important year full of events, with the reward of a certificate of merit for all of his work awarded the Pinacothèque du Luxembourg museum, at the same time, his work will be honored with the release of the decanter of Cognac xo signed Zafi for the 250th anniversary of the Roullet cognac house.

Zafi, international artist whose works can be found today in many countries and are part of a continuity and perpetuates a universe against current trends while bringing his touch. "A work that smacks of renewal". (Art Magazine)