Raphaele Cohen-Bacry shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Raphaele, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Well, ahead of my current solo exhibition in Las Vegas I was contacted my Laura Bannister a writer who wanted to include me in her New York Times article as one of 5 rising contemporary artists to know. It was really a nice feeling to have a conversation with an intelligent and sensitive person who understood my practice. I am not sure I felt pride, but more fulfilled and seen.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an interdisciplinary artist, working across collage, painting, assemblage, video, and sculptural installation. Since I also have a long background in health and science, I like to think of my studio practice as a kind of research lab: each project starts with a hypothesis or a vision, and I experiment with materials and techniques—sometimes inventing my own—to see where it leads.
My work is deeply rooted in art history, with influences ranging from Caravaggio and Dürer to CoBrA, Art Brut, and Surrealism. Collage is at the heart of what I do—it allows me to tap into the unconscious and create narratives that feel a bit like dreams. Right now, I’m working on a “tribe” of large-scale paper figures—towering, lightweight, hand-collaged characters suspended like a playful family of gentle giants. Each one has its own identity, but together they form an invented lineage. My latest solo exhibition “Tribulations”, just opened in Las Vegas and as I was saying, was recently reviewed by The New York Times T Magazine.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was about five years old, we used to live on the eleventh floor of a high rise building in the outskirts of Paris. It suddenly got into me to sit on the rail of the patio with both feet hanging out. And then I told my Mom who got so scared and angry that it somewhat spoiled the experience, for a very good reason I must say.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Patience, empathy and humility and also that there is often another way.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am building a personal art museum in my mind that includes all the different projects I do, with only the best pieces. If I get access to a large space at some point, I would love to make it real and accessible to all, and it does not matter when it happens. The interesting thing is that it keep evolving and growing, and in a way it already exists.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I am often told that I am so lucky to have a passion, that it must be so relaxing and fun. But in reality for me it is more like a way of life, a way of being in the world and not really a choice. People might think I have been an artist for myself, to be recognized and gratified when in fact I feel more like a vessel, or like art is going through me. Of course I like what I do, as I like to eat and breath and think.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.raphaelecohenbacry.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raphaelecohenbacrystudio/
Image Credits
Raphaele Cohen-Bacry
