Assimetria 3.0, 2023

Steph Cop  

Steph Cop is a French artist born in 1968. Late 80's, Steph Cop was part of the first wave of the French graffiti movement. An activist in the "Control of Paris" group. He stood out by covering the fences of the Pyramides du Louvre, during its construction in 1986 and asserted his position as one of the artists of the graffiti movement. In 1992, he participated in the creation of the new trend, later defined as street-wear, through his brands « Homecore » and « Lady Soul ». In 1998, Steph moved onto the physical representation of the graphic world by creating one of the first « Art Toy » which his character Aro,and sold it worldwide.

Aro means "Analyze Obsessional Reflection". It has been giving tangible form since 10 years, to hundred year old trees fallen at the heart of their natural environment namely Morvan Park. This demanding raw material requires control and gentleness "Self-teaching and use of instinct amid forests. By dint of management, you sort them out, trace and cut them, powerful work in paradise, the silence of the machine's sound, amid hundred year old trees". Each piece takes its time and matures slowly. A natural creation, almost sacred where man's hand just needs to follow the traces left by time. A delicate lumberjack, despite the imposing tool, the end result is filled with sensitivity. All the pieces highlight the creator's emotions.

The artist's obsession leads him to create even more monumental works. In 2012, a giant oak tree of 600 years was restored and called Aro 5.0, a sculpture of five meters in height and weighed seven tons, it is now part of a private collection. Exhibited in several galleries around the world and present among prestigious collections, Aro symbolizes the emotions of its creator.