part of the Folsom Berlin 2024 art tour
My work is deeply influenced by the staging of photographer David LaChapelle and the aesthetics of filmmaker Gregg Araki in terms of colors. It’s a celebration of life, love, and freedom of expression.
My art allows me to explore our world, shed light on our deepest desires, have fun, all while offering a representation of the queer community. This is achieved through colorful, unconventional, tender, and at times erotic settings, while challenging the harmful stereotypes about homosexuals that are still too prevalent in our society.
Over the past five years, I have been fortunate to receive several international articles and interviews (including The Advocate, Attitude magazine, Männer, among others, which you can find here). Additionally, I was featured on an Australian radio show in 2021. This recognition led to the publication of “LIFE’S A CABARET” by the English publisher Men on Paper Art in September 2022, a book that compiles all my photographs since 2018. Simultaneously, Germany published “SEX UTOPIA,” an impressive 400-page book bringing together 70 artists from around the world, in which I had the privilege to be included alongside Pierre et Gilles and the director/photographer Bruce La Bruce.
Several of my works have already been exhibited in Canada, Switzerland, France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands..
I have just completed the 2023 tour of my solo exhibition “All You Need Is Love,” a celebration of love and tolerance. The first date took place in France at the beginning of the year, followed by my creations traveling to Brighton, Amsterdam, and Berlin last summer. The tour concluded in Le Havre from September 16 to October 14.
The opening reception was a great success and attracted over 200 people, including political figures. The reactions were unanimously positive, and the people of Le Havre gave me a warm welcome with comments such as: “You have successfully infused this queer dynamic, which the city has been missing for years, so please come back soon,” and “This evening was exceptional, both artistically and visually.” These are just a few of the testimonials gathered at the opening night.
In addition to this tour, I exhibited in Switzerland in May and June to showcase my new work, partially funded by the Bowie Gallery, as part of a collective exhibition. I also had the honor of exhibiting in Berlin in May, in collaboration with the Tom of Finland Foundation, as well as at the City Hall of Paris and the Amarrage Gallery in Saint-Ouen.
POLLY DOLLY’S MOTEL WINNER OF MOREPIXX? 2022
Romain is 34 years old and from France
“I am French photographic artist, gently provocative.
I put forward, without modesty, a community often excluded and pointed out (gays, women, trans, drag queens…), trying to change mentalities at my humble level. This work allows me to talk about social and topical issues, but also to give a representation of the LGBTQ+ community against a background of ultra colourful, offbeat, tender and erotic settings. I like to play with the codes of crypto-gay cinema and not leave the viewer indifferent.
My work can be described as cliché and kitsch. I don’t hide from it, that’s the point. I claim to be a camp artist, a concept that designates, among other things, a form of self-mockery that allows gays to laugh at the difficulties of their condition in a homophobic society, all with artifice and exaggeration.
In the last few years I have been lucky enough to have several articles/interviews in magazines in France and internationally. I also had an interview for an Australian radio in November 2021 and an English publisher will publish in September 2022 a book on my work, gathering several of my photographs.
In July and August 2021, several of my creations were exhibited at the SUM Gallery in Vancouver during the Queer Art Show, the Bowie Gallery in Switzerland is currently exhibiting me, I had an exhibition in France for Pride month and one in Barcelona in July.
As an artist, and a queer one at that, it’s really rewarding and allows me to give visibility to the LGBTQ+ community.
twitter: https://twitter.com/RomainB_Art
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romainb_photos/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/romainbergerart
own website: www.romainberger-photography.com