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Will French was born in Melbourne and spent his childhood in Korea and Indonesia. He completed a Masters in Visual Arts at Sydney College of the Arts in 2005 and has gone on to pursue his artistic practice across Australia.

Will French’s work carries a common thread of a wry humour and playfulness. Addressing the personal, popular and political his work spans traditional, mechanical and conceptual manifestations.

French examines his own position in relation to these concepts and showcases them in a manner that encourages the viewer to accept his terms. He often utilises accessible objects and amplifies their reading through a slight tweak or blatant upending. 

French has a multi-disciplinary art practice. A primary trait of his practice is the gathering of new processes and skills. Intentionally challenging himself with each new project. Past works have included: remote control rock guitars, soft sculpted instruments, traditionally sewn flags, chocolate wheels of death and a motorcycle-powered sewing machine. Recent work has focued on a more conceptual process, simplifying and reducing work down to essentials.

Will French is the 2008 recipient of the Fauvette Loureiro Memorial Artist Travel Scholarship and has twice been a finalist of the Helen Lemprier NSW Travelling Arts Scholarship. He was the recipient of the 2009 Westpac Redlands Emerging Artist Prize. Will French has also been a member of the Firstdraft board of directors in 2008/09. Firstdraft is Australia’s longest running Artist Run Initiative, dedicated to showing emerging and experimental arts.

French has exhibited recently in Group Shows at Artspace, Breenspace & 4A in Sydney & Tokyo Wonder Site in Tokyo, Japan. 

During 2010, 2011 and 2012 Will has been travelling and researching exteensively. Undertaking research in New York as well as an artist in residence at Tokyo Wonder Site, Tokyo in 2010. He has also been working in Berlin, Germany during the European winter and was an artist in residence in the Australia Council's Paris Studio in France, researching the 2011 Tour de France. He has assited the James Turrell survey show in Jarna, Sweden before returning to Sydney to exhibit and take up residency at Artspace in Woolloomooloo. In 2012 he is undertaking research in Mexico City.

 



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