MEDUZA by ZÏLON

MONTREAL URBAN ART PIONEER

His works, now shown in New York, London and Paris, have brought him international recognition.

Always looking to reinvent himself, ZÏLON is a multidisciplinary artist who remains at the leading edge of urban art through collaborations with contemporary artists such as Wajdi Mouawad (theater), DJ Champion (music) or Philippe Dubuc (fashion). In his forty-year career, he has seen the art of graffiti go from a countercultural statement to a tamed and popular mode of expression. “We went from subversion to commercialization,” says the artist who created three monumental works for Givenchy in France.

ZÏLON is a dedicated artist who presents a raw and harsh image of the human condition. He is particularly fond of painting portraits expressing loneliness and distress, but also the hope and desire to be loved.

Artist Biography

Dark alleys were the first places to be marked with Zïlon’s poetic signature. Dubbed “The Back Street Cocteau,” he was one of Montreal’s key figures during the 80’s punk and underground movement.

During a time bubbling with creative artistic fervour and characterized by the transmutation of disciplines and the rejection of established standards, Zïlon made a strong artistic impression, not only in the visual arts, but in music and the performing arts as well.

For over 30 years, his ability to continually reinvent himself and his exceptional versatility have established him as a major international artist who transcends borders and generations. With over 50 exhibits to his credit, his work has been displayed in cities around the world, including New York, Paris and London.

In addition to enjoying successful gallery exhibitions, Zïlon also keeps busy developing comic strips, movie storyboards, festival and show posters, interior designs and cinema and theatre frescoes. He has collaborated with some of Quebec’s most renowned artists, including Gilles Carles, Wajdi Mouawad, Robert Lepage, Jacques Languirand and Claude Péloquin.

Multidisciplinary, marginal and in a class of his own, this artist never fails to impress. His message is authentic, raw and hard-hitting. Zïlon’s boldness, edge and lust for life pack a punch. Popular, in the noblest sense of the word, he cannot be classified. His work draws upon loneliness and suffering—emotions each and every one of us has experienced—but also conveys hope and a burning desire to be loved.

For Under Pressure 2018, he was invited to create a “Zïlonesque” work on borough walls. Once again, Zïlon is marking his territory with his recent street art creation.