Solo Shows

Wilfried Raguël’s paintings depict the challenges of identity and human roots in contemporary society. Born in France to an Antillean father, the artist has always grappled with profound questions about his origins and the complexity of mixed identity. Through his paintings, he explores the difficulties that have marked the life of people of color, from slavery and past abuses to the enduring racism in our modern society.

His art is an intimate and universal journey, reflecting the struggles of marginalized communities and their path towards identity reaffirmation. At the heart of his work lies the quest for identity and cultural understanding. His pieces are imbued with references to primitive African art and intellectuals such as Franz Fanon and Edouard Glissant, who have inspired him on his artistic journey.

The protagonists of Wilfried Raguël’s paintings are characterized by piercing black eyes, which open up like windows to the soul. The viewer can look beyond the gaze, immerse themselves in their story, in the constant search for knowledge of their own past in order to fully understand the present and project themselves towards the future.

Wilfried Raguël is a bold artist who, armed only with his pencil, brings to life the monsters that haunt our society through his characters, the creatures that evoke the aesthetics of comics, cartoons and the irreverent world of graffiti and pop culture.

In his drawings and in his illustrations, the specters of injustice of our time materialize in the form of extraordinary creatures: mischievous, joyous and sarcastic. These monsters are not mere symbols; they are bringas full of their own life which the artist makes dance across the page, thus expressing a full range of emotions and opinions.

With decisive strokes and colors that explode, each drawing is a visual manifesto that brings out the contradictions and follies of contemporary society.