D’Stassi Art in London Shoreditch are thrilled to announce ‘Didier Chamizo: Rebel Soul’, the first exhibition in the UK of the French activist and reformed convict who harnessed the power of art to turn his life around and caught the attention of the Cartier Foundation.
Didier Chamizo’s UK Debut show will be revealed with an opening night on 7th June at D’Stassi Art, with a rare appearance by Chamizo. Chamizo’s art mirrors his life, with protest, prison and a pardon by the former President of France.
‘Didier Chamizo: Rebel Soul’ will feature 19 vivid figurative portraits and a custom Harley Davidson hand-painted by Chamizo. Inspired by lettrism, a unique alternative to graffiti and tag art, Chamizo is renowned for creating lettric abstraction-figuration, a style marked by raw, untamed expression and deep emotional truths.
Didier Chamizo says:
“I am thrilled to announce my debut exhibition at D’Stassi Gallery, a milestone in my journey as an artist. This opportunity has been made possible through a serendipitous encounter with Alex Kolster, founder of Henrik Alexander, whose instant connection and shared vision led us to this moment. Despite a tumultuous life marked by near-death experiences, brushes with crime, and time spent in prison, I’ve been fortunate to pursue my dreams freely. Yet, showcasing my work in the UK feels like one of those special bucket list moments I never dared to expect. As a lifelong fan of British rock ‘n’ roll, from The Rolling Stones and The Clash to The Beatles, this feels like a full-circle moment for me. I am immensely grateful to Alex Kolster and the guys from D’Stassi Galerie, Ed Sanders and Mike Howes for their passion and dedication in organising this show. Their youth, ambition, and enthusiasm are truly inspiring, and I cannot wait to share my art with the people of the United Kingdom.”
To be an artist with expression is one thing, but to be an artist with a story is another. Chamizo is an artist in the most authentic sense, his art informing his life and life informing his art. His life is a life lived to the fullest. However, Chamizo is more than a living example of the trope of a suffering artist: his art was born out of experiences that most people wouldn’t live through in a lifetime, but he channelled these experiences into visceral narratives that jump out of the canvas. As the saying goes, ‘You never know what you know until you do what you’ve never been told.’ This sentiment sets an artist on a path to iconism. Chamizo epitomizes the blend of art and lived experience. His work is an emblem of his turbulent journey, filled with political activism, personal tragedy, and relentless creativity.
Born into poverty in Cahors, France, on 15th October 1951, Chamizo’s early life was marked by stark contradictions and intense transformations. His is a tale of extraordinary, often near-death experiences that could rival a three-season Netflix docuseries or form the plot of a Martin Scorsese film. Full of intrigue, pain, suspense, joy, and triumph, Chamizo’s tale is as gripping as it is inspiring. Ultimately he channelled his angst, pain, activism, incarceration and protest into a completely unique artistic practice which germinated in prison, and led to recognition as an extraordinary and authentic artist whose work is collected and coveted by art world insiders including Alain Dominique Perrin of the Cartier Foundation, French singer-songwriter Hugues Aufray, French rapper and actor Didier Morville (better known by his stage name JoeyStarr), actress Marisa Berenson, French singer-songwriter Renaud, and Taittinger President Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger.
D’Stassi Art in London Shoreditch are thrilled to announce ‘Didier Chamizo: Rebel Soul’, the first exhibition in the UK of the French activist and reformed convict who harnessed the power of art to turn his life around and caught the attention of the Cartier Foundation.
Didier Chamizo’s UK Debut show will be revealed with an opening night on 7th June at D’Stassi Art, with a rare appearance by Chamizo. Chamizo’s art mirrors his life, with protest, prison and a pardon by the former President of France.
‘Didier Chamizo: Rebel Soul’ will feature 19 vivid figurative portraits and a custom Harley Davidson hand-painted by Chamizo. Inspired by lettrism, a unique alternative to graffiti and tag art, Chamizo is renowned for creating lettric abstraction-figuration, a style marked by raw, untamed expression and deep emotional truths.
Didier Chamizo says:
“I am thrilled to announce my debut exhibition at D’Stassi Gallery, a milestone in my journey as an artist. This opportunity has been made possible through a serendipitous encounter with Alex Kolster, founder of Henrik Alexander, whose instant connection and shared vision led us to this moment. Despite a tumultuous life marked by near-death experiences, brushes with crime, and time spent in prison, I’ve been fortunate to pursue my dreams freely. Yet, showcasing my work in the UK feels like one of those special bucket list moments I never dared to expect. As a lifelong fan of British rock ‘n’ roll, from The Rolling Stones and The Clash to The Beatles, this feels like a full-circle moment for me. I am immensely grateful to Alex Kolster and the guys from D’Stassi Galerie, Ed Sanders and Mike Howes for their passion and dedication in organising this show. Their youth, ambition, and enthusiasm are truly inspiring, and I cannot wait to share my art with the people of the United Kingdom.”
To be an artist with expression is one thing, but to be an artist with a story is another. Chamizo is an artist in the most authentic sense, his art informing his life and life informing his art. His life is a life lived to the fullest. However, Chamizo is more than a living example of the trope of a suffering artist: his art was born out of experiences that most people wouldn’t live through in a lifetime, but he channelled these experiences into visceral narratives that jump out of the canvas. As the saying goes, ‘You never know what you know until you do what you’ve never been told.’ This sentiment sets an artist on a path to iconism. Chamizo epitomizes the blend of art and lived experience. His work is an emblem of his turbulent journey, filled with political activism, personal tragedy, and relentless creativity.
Born into poverty in Cahors, France, on 15th October 1951, Chamizo’s early life was marked by stark contradictions and intense transformations. His is a tale of extraordinary, often near-death experiences that could rival a three-season Netflix docuseries or form the plot of a Martin Scorsese film. Full of intrigue, pain, suspense, joy, and triumph, Chamizo’s tale is as gripping as it is inspiring. Ultimately he channelled his angst, pain, activism, incarceration and protest into a completely unique artistic practice which germinated in prison, and led to recognition as an extraordinary and authentic artist whose work is collected and coveted by art world insiders including Alain Dominique Perrin of the Cartier Foundation, French singer-songwriter Hugues Aufray, French rapper and actor Didier Morville (better known by his stage name JoeyStarr), actress Marisa Berenson, French singer-songwriter Renaud, and Taittinger President Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger.