Nicolas Party, © The artist & Xavier Hufkens
Nicolas Party (b. 1980, Lausanne, Switzerland) is a figurative artist known for his vibrant landscapes, portraits and still lifes, blending classical influences with a contemporary twist. Primarily using soft pastel, a distinctive 21st-century medium, he creates biomorphic forms that reimagine natural and manmade objects, pushing the boundaries of representational art. His works, often displayed in immersive, color-rich installations, challenge perspective and create fantastical, dreamlike settings.
Party's practice spans painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, murals and performance, with recurring themes of the natural world and art historical legacies from Classical antiquity to 20th-century figurative art. His androgynous figures, jewel-toned palettes and architectural interventions are hallmarks of his style. Party also draws on influences from Swiss artists like Félix Vallotton and Ferdinand Hodler, as well as Renaissance and Romantic art.
Based in New York, Party studied at the Lausanne School of Art and earned an MFA from the Glasgow School of Art. His work has been exhibited globally, including major shows at the Hirshhorn Museum (Washington, DC), Hammer Museum (Los Angeles), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Museo Poldi Pezzoli (Milan). His pieces are held in prominent collections, such as the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Menil Collection. Party is recognized as a key figure in contemporary art, with his paintings achieving high acclaim and commanding million-dollar prices at auction.