Philippe Lardy

Philippe Lardy (born 1963) is a Swiss painter, illustrator, art director and a graphic novelist. He attends the School of Visual Arts in the 1980s in New York.

Drawing for the press
In, 1989, he co-publishes a large publication, GIN & COMIX in collaboration with artist Jose Ortega, showcasing an international cast of graphic artists and writers.

Lardy begins his career as an illustrator, drawing for American periodicals, publishers and corporations such as The New York Times, Blue Note Records, Levis, Time, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, The New Yorker.

From Drawing to Painting
Lardy moves to Paris in 2000 and gives greater emphasis to his painting. He exhibits his works in various galleries in Geneva and France. The Swiss artist engages in a free interpretation game based on twined twisted paper strips, evoking the DNA structure, a main source of inspiration for his paintings, drawings and sculptures. Details of these models are enlarged, synthesized. His "Life Forms" evoke a possibility of organic evolution of these motifs, echoing the possibilities of genetic recombination.

Almanac Soldes Fin de Séries
Since 2008, Lardy is the art director of a French publication Almanach Soldes Fin De Séries. It was originally created by the Belgian designer Marc Borgers.

New York Chronicle
Philippe Lardy is the author of New York Chronicle. The book recollects his encounters with inspiring artists and the life in the city. - AGPI 2009

Hypersomnia
Lardy's graphic novel is inspired by visions of the subconscious. The main character, a painter, experiences often traumatizing, sometime enlightening situations in his search for the ultimate work of art. The novel is drawn in a detailed manner, echoing Max Klinger's pre-modernist images.

Recognition

 * Ozzie Award Silver Medal for magazine cover (2002)
 * Coretta Scott King Award (2006) for the paintings of A Wreath for Emmett Till, written by poet Marylin Nelson.
 * Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors Awards
 * Michael L. Printz Honor (2006).
 * American Illustration, Communication Arts, the Society of Illustrators, PRINT magazine and GRAPHIS.
 * Philippe was a founder member of the society of press, book and commercial illustrators "Le Crayon", Paris.

Recent exhibitions
Represented by Espace Muraille Galerie, Geneva Switzerland and Artelli Gallery, focus on the Swiss Art scene.
 * Biennale of contemporary art,"ARTPARIS" 2018.
 * Biennale of contemporary art,"ARTPARIS".
 * COSMOSKOW 2018, Russian Contemporary Art fair
 * LIFE FORMS Forms, 2016 Espace Muraille, Geneva.
 * LIFE FORMS Paris, 2012, Galerie Plaisirs, Paris.
 * Group shows: Japan, New York, Belgium, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Seoul.