Romain Langlois is a self-taught sculptor based in France. His work has ranged from the human figure to aspects of nature using an array of materials including bronze, silver, stone, wood, crystal and bismuth. Romain is also the founder of the association 111-days. Along with Peggy Viallat Langlois and Keu Chan, the association conducts artistic, cultural and humanitarian projects.
Where did you spend lockdown?
At the beginning of quarantine I was in Lesbos, Greece, and after that I returned to France to continue the quarantine.
Did you have access to a studio during this time? if not, how did you continue to create work?
During these months I produced nothing, no art, no new sculpture.
The last days before the borders closed I was on the island of Lesbos. I return in 2 days to this refugee camp to continue to create kites for a festival for the children of the Moria camp. I realised this with Farhad, a master of kites in the camp.
What is it like in these refugee camps during COVID-19?
During the quarantine nobody spoke about refugees, no news, nothing…the virus did not arrive to the camp!!! To tell you the truth I don’t like art of today, my art also! It’s not important. People, children, died at the European border and we continue to think that our society is important…a big joke from my point of view. Humans are the most important! And the island [Lesbos] is beginning to be a prison with a wall on the sea. Hard situation isn’t it?
That’s why, today, my practice tries to speak about this situation and create something for the refugees. Well… About this project, when I returned to France during the second part of quarantine, I organized a link with these days with kites in Lesbos. On the Facebook page Gudiparan, you can find people from different countries who created kites during the quarantine to create a link with the refugee camps.
All photographs were provided by Romain Langlois. Thumbnail photo credit: Bored Panda. To see more of Romain’s work visit his website and Instagram.
To see more of 111-days and their work visit their website. They work alongside Schools Without Frontiers, Lesvos Solidaity and Waves of Hope / Art Without Borders.