Romain Neist Fontaine

Romain Fontaine was born in 1987 in the countryside to the east of Paris.  As a naturally curious and creative child, he turned to pencils and paintbrushes to make sense of his physical surroundings and inner landscape.  This continues to be central to his practice today.

As a teenager, Romain discovered Graffiti.  He was entranced by the whole body experience of realising a piece and its inevitable relationship to the space where he created it.  He adopted the tag name ‘Neist’- as is common with graffiti artists, who are concerned with the evolution and flow of their letters- as he was inspired by their shape, form and structure.  He is established and well known in this niche, completing large scale mural commissions from Central London to rural villages in China, as well as cultural festivals throughout Europe.

Romain is a self-taught artist, and as such has always felt liberated to explore different mediums and scales.  His work now incorporates painting on canvas with illustrated details.

Living in London for a decade had a significant influence on Romain’s work, particularly the built environment and connectivity. He was successfully selected to establish a studio there as part of the community at 401 ½ studios.

Along with his wife and young daughter, he relocated to the South of France in early 2022, and has continued his studio practice from his new home in the South Cevennes where he works as a full time artist. Being immersed in nature and adjusting to its pace is something that has influenced Romain’s approach and continued evolution of expression.