Artists in residence

Chloé Mazlo is a Franco-Lebanese filmmaker and visual artist living in Paris. After studying graphic arts at the Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg, she specializes in the making of animated films, at the crossroads of different cinematic techniques. 

Her short films have been selected in many French and international festivals, broadcast on television (France 2, Canal+) and awarded several times. In 2015, Les Petits Cailloux won the César for best animated short film. In 2020, she directed Sous le ciel d’Alice, with Alba Rochwacher and Wajdi Mouawad, her first feature film.

Xavier Mazzarol (b.1976, Paris) is a Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist. He studied at Chelsea Fine Art School in London, UK (2002) and holds an MFA from Villa Arson in Nice, FR (2004). Mazzarol’s praxis is object-related and material-specific, reflecting a sensitive observation of the social space and its elusive resonance in the individual body and psyche. Through the cyclic nature of his subjects, he addresses socio-political, ecological, and existential themes, revealing the subtleties of life, the unseen and the unspeakable. Currently, Xavier Mazzarol is exploring these subjects through the medium of painting, transforming profound observations into visual narratives.

During his residency in Paris, the artist will work on a series of paintings under the working title Asparagus. Through this project, his work enters into a playful conversation with Édouard Manet’s Une botte d’asperges (1880) and explores the idea of the individual, both in artistic and societal terms. The story surrounding Manet’s work, from its commission and painting, to its provenance, and final home in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, anchors this project in both his adopted home of Germany and his birthplace of France.

Born in Ndoungué, Cameroon, Max Mbakop traveled to many cities due to his father’s various teaching positions. This itinerancy was the catalyst for his exposure to a variety of cultures, awakening in him the desire to perceive the world and humanity from a different angle. After studying computer science and audio-visual engineering, he plunged into the world of art through theater in 2004, collaborating with playwright and poet KOUAM TAWA.

Subsequently, Max immersed himself in set design and puppetry, drawing inspiration from figures such as Philippe Aucher and Wieland Jagodzinski. His artistic quest led him to broaden his horizons by training in directing with masters such as Martin Ambarr, Were Were Liking and others, enriching his artistic language and understanding of the artistic world.

His path also led him to cinema, where he trained under director Vincent Ndoumbe. Later, a meeting with the late Goddy Leye introduced him to the visual arts through video and photography at the Art Bakery space. Determined to explore the visual arts further, Max Mbakop found guidance and inspiration from mentors such as Nabil Boutros and François Abelanet. His artistic journey continues through festivals and exhibitions around the world, shaping a rich and diverse artistic trajectory.