Pol Taburet The Walk, 2024 Acrylic, alcohol-based paint, oil pastel on canvas 40 x 30 cm 15 3/4 x 11 7/8 inches Mendes Wood DM
Pol Taburet was born in Paris in 1997 and has emerged as a formidable force in the contemporary art world.
He is known for an artistic practice that seamlessly weaves together Caribbean spiritualism, European art history, and the pulse of modern club culture.
Based in Paris and of Guadeloupean descent, Taburet crafts a personal mythology through paintings and sculptures that are as haunting as they are vibrant.
This approach effectively situates his work at the intersection of horror, devotion, and the diasporic experience.
His creative journey began at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts de Paris–Cergy, where he was born and raised.
Although he initially trained in ceramics, a discipline that continues to inform the tactile nature of his work, he eventually expanded his focus to include painting and large-scale sculpture.
His rise to prominence has become a piece of modern art-world lore, as he balanced his studies while working as a bartender in a Parisian nightclub.
It was within this nocturnal environment that he first connected with curators and gallerists, bridging the gap between the underground energy of the city’s nightlife and the formal institutional art scene.
Taburet’s visual language is defined by a unique technical collision of materials.
By blending acrylic, oil, and alcohol-based paints with precise airbrushing, he creates figures that appear both neon-saturated and ghostly. His subjects are often characterized by glowing eyes, fangs, and weaponized tongues, and they seem to hover in a state of flux between the human and the spirit realm.
Between 2020 and 2023, Taburet solidified his signature style through a three-part exhibition cycle known as the OPERA trilogy.
This series began with OPERA I at Balice Hertling in Paris, continued with OPERA II at C L E A R I N G in Los Angeles, and concluded with OPERA III: ZOO "The Day of Heaven and Hell" at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris.
Pol Taburet Cockroaches melody, 2023 Acrylic, alcohol based paint, and oil pastel on canvas 300 x 200 cm Mendes Wood DM
These presentations showcased his ability to transform domestic interiors into mystical altars while exploring the thin veil between life, death, and the monstrous.
While his paintings garnered early acclaim, Taburet’s practice has grown increasingly three-dimensional over time. He translates his spectral imagery into physical space by using bronze, cement, and various hybrid materials.
His sculptural installations have achieved significant global reach and have been featured in major international venues, including the Longlati Foundation in Shanghai for his 2024 exhibition titled Anamorphosis.
His work has also been displayed at the SONGEUN Art and Cultural Foundation in Seoul and the Bienal de São Paulo.
These works continue his exploration of anamorphosis by distorting perspective to reveal hidden truths about the body and ritual performance.
Taburet’s rapid ascent is reflected in both his critical accolades and his commercial success.
In 2022, he was awarded the Reiffers Art Initiatives Prize, which is a distinction celebrating young talent and cultural diversity.
He is currently represented by a network of prestigious galleries, including Balice Hertling in Paris, C L E A R I N G in Los Angeles and Brussels, and Mendes Wood DM in São Paulo and New York.
His works are held in world-class collections such as the Pinault Collection, the KADIST Foundation, and the Lafayette Anticipations Collection.
Furthermore, his presence at major auction houses like Sotheby’s underscores his status as a blue-chip artist of the new generation.
This recognition makes him a central figure for collectors who are focused on innovative figurative art.
Ultimately, Taburet’s work acts as a threshold where the ancestral spirits of Guadeloupe meet the strobe lights of a Parisian techno club.
Pol Taburet Mud field II, 2023 Acrylic, alcohol based paint, and oil pastel on canvas 320 x 200 cm 126 x 78 3/4 inches Courtesy Mendes Wood DM. Photo : Loic Madec. Mendes Wood DM Request Price & Availa
