Francois Robert: Stop The Violence

Francois Robert

STOP THE VIOLENCE SHERRY LEEDY CONTEMPORARY ART

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“Somehow I had a feeling I was on to something special after I finished the first photo/installation which was the “Swastika”. I had a major chill in my spine.”

- Francois Robert In his series of photographs, Stop the Violence, internationally known photographer, Francois Robert decontextualizes the human skeleton to say something very powerful about our world.

In the mid-1990’s during an auction at an old school, Francois purchased 3 metal lockers and found to his surprise that one of them held a real, full size articulated skeleton. Over time, he began to explore the idea of disassembling the skeleton and rearranging the bones, and from the process came the powerful series Stop the Violence.

Francois has said of this work, “These images show conflict, aggression, suffering, and devastation. These images also suggest an aftermath, therefore functioning as a warning. My hope is that they provide a cautionary moment of pause, a moment when our minds recognize the history and significance of these symbols, resonating long after viewing. I intend the images to plant in the heart the notions of charity and restraint in effort to promote tolerance and peace.”

This series resulted in the 2009 nomination of Francois Robert for the International Photographer of the Year Award (Lucie Awards). He was the “Overall Winner” in the Fine Arts Category. Books by Robert include Faces (Chronicle, 2000) and Face-to-Face (Lars Mueller, Switzerland, 1995). His most recent book is CROSSES published by Graphis. Some of Robert’s clients include Crate & Barrel, Coca-Cola, Chicago Board of Trade, BP Herman Miller, Polaroid Corporation, Western Union and Yale Medical School.

This is his first solo exhibition at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art.

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WAR Photography 22” x 28”

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Tank Photography 22” x 28”

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Money Photography 28” x 22”

Bomb Photography 28” x 22”

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Gun Photography 22” x 28”

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Oil Photography 22” x 28”

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Cross Photography 28” x 22”

Knife Photography 28” x 22”

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911 Photography 22” x 28”

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Hammer and Sickle Photography 22” x 28”

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Swastika Photography 28” x 22”

Star of David Photography 28” x 22”

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Kalashniko Photography 22” x 28”

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KKK Photography 22” x 28”

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Grenade Photography 28” x 22”

Skull and Bones Photography 28” x 22”

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HIV Photography 22” x 28”

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Crescent Star Photography 22” x 28”

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Fighter Jet Photography 28” x 22”

Atomic Cloud Photography 28” x 22”

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SHERRY LEEDY CONTEMPORARY ART | 2004 Baltimore Ave. Kansas City, MO 64108 816.221.2626 | www.sherryleedy.com