Valery Guo

Born in France, Valery Guo embarked on a fascinating journey that took him from Paris to Beijing and back, ultimately settling in Paris. Trained as an art expert in the heart of French culture, Guo’s artistic endeavors led him to Beijing, where he established the first in-house gallery dedicated to modern and contemporary art in 2007. This marked the beginning of a multifaceted career that would see him delve into various artistic mediums and industries.

Fascinated by the burgeoning Chinese film scene, Guo ventured into acting in 2010, ultimately earning recognition as the “most influential foreign actor in China” in 2018. Concurrently, he explored his creative impulses with his inaugural project, “Pootsh,” focusing on interior design products.

Returning to his roots in France in 2019, Guo sought to merge his extensive Chinese experiences with his artistic vision. Thus, he embarked on a new artistic venture, giving birth to the concept of 怪 [gwaii].

The 怪, a term encapsulating strangeness, peculiarity, and uniqueness, embodies Guo’s artistic ethos. It emerges swiftly, capturing surrounding oxygen to inflate and expand before solidifying within seconds. This creative process, akin to a ritual, repeats until the 怪 reaches its full potential, culminating in its encasement within vibrant concrete shells.

At the core of Guo’s artistic philosophy are three pivotal themes: birth, bodily transformation, and death. His creations, akin to living entities, undergo a journey mirroring the human experience. From their liquid genesis to their final petrification, each 怪 carries traces of its evolution, embodying a narrative of growth, resilience, and eventual permanence.

The ideogram 怪 [gwaii] symbolizes Guo’s artistic essence, representing the fusion of heart, hand, and raw material in the act of creation. It serves as a testament to his commitment to pushing artistic boundaries and crafting works that resonate with audiences globally.

Today, Valery Guo’s art transcends geographical boundaries, with exhibitions spanning across China, France, Greece, Canada, the United States, and Australia. Through his evocative creations, Guo invites viewers to contemplate the intricacies of existence and the transformative power of art.