Biography
Christian Chapiron, widely known as Kiki Picasso, was born in 1956 in Nice, France, and became a pioneering figure in the intersection of underground art, media activism, and digital experimentation. In 1974, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he met Olivia Clavel, Loulou Picasso, Lulu Larsen, and Bananar. Together, they formed Bazooka Production, a radical collective that sought to disrupt traditional art spaces and infiltrate mainstream media with provocative, politically charged imagery. Rejecting the conventional gallery system, Bazooka used comics, newspapers, and television as their canvas, aiming to revolutionize visual culture. Their controversial illustrations, particularly in Libération, challenged journalistic norms and often led to clashes with editors. The term "Bazooka is doing Picasso" emerged in the late 1970s as a dismissive critique of their work, suggesting it was chaotic and nonsensical. In response, the group adopted the name "Picasso" as an act of defiant reappropriation.
Following Bazooka's dissolution, Chapiron delved into video art, digital painting, and multimedia production, continually pushing creative and technological boundaries. In 1995, he returned to political media as the artistic director of Maintenant, the first French publication to expose France's role in the Rwandan genocide. His later artworks explored themes of psychedelia, electronic culture, and social rebellion, as seen in Psychoactif, a hallucinating book, which examined LSD use. He also ventured into film with Substitution Treatment No. 4, blending allegory and documentary elements. His creative footprint extends to the vibrant world of French street festivals, where he designed allegorical floats for events like the Techno Parade and Fête de la Musique. His audiovisual works, often projected at raves and concerts, became an integral part of France's underground electronic music scene. In recent years, Chapiron has remained a dynamic force in the art world, collaborating with contemporary artists and continuing to experiment with digital formats. His latest projects, spanning large-scale installations and NFT-based digital art, reaffirm his status as an ever-evolving artist who challenges artistic norms and political narratives. As a cultural icon who bridges punk rebellion with new media innovation, Kiki Picasso's legacy endures, inspiring new generations of artists and activists.
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