Fremin Gallery presents new works by gallery artists LIs Sam, Rodrigo Franzao, Didier Engels, Nayla Kai Saroufim, Gunes Caglarcan, Mercedes Jelinek, and Markus Klinko

Fremin   is delighted to announce the arrival of new works from some of our top artists. These recent additions represent an exciting expansion of our current collection. Please feel free to contact us directly for more information regarding these pieces or to request a full catalog. Click on the artist name for a comprehensive selection of the new artworks.

Lis Sam

Lis Sam  - "Camelia Fleurs Rouges" - Art on Paper - 39" x 39" Lis Sam is a self-taught artist whose journey began in the world of street art. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he moved to France at the age of 11, where he developed a fascination for craftsmanship and the aesthetics of form. Drawn to artistic expression, he explored various creative paths, refining his sense of composition and detail. As with many artists, a single encounter would prove to be the turning point in his career. During a journey, he came across a work of art that profoundly resonated with him. This moment of revelation steered him toward a new artistic direction, inspiring him to push his creative boundaries. Over the years, Lis Sam dedicated himself to different projects, experimenting with form, texture, and medium. However, it was another pivotal moment that truly defined his artistic vision—a visit to a butterfly greenhouse in the south of France. The experience was nothing short of transformative. Surrounded by an explosion of colors and movement, he was captivated by the delicate dance of the butterflies. Their wings, flickering in the light, created fleeting shapes that, to his artistic eye, resembled abstract silhouettes. It was reminiscent of the way a child gazes at the sky, finding familiar forms in drifting clouds. At that moment, an idea took shape in his mind—one that would later evolve into Blossoming Girls.

Rodrigo Franzao

Rodrigo Franzao - "The Shape of Time" - Textile, Paper - 36"x 36"  Using FSC-certified German paper and acrylic paints, his work features layers of folded paper and textures, creating a dynamic, immersive experience with a maintained focus on sustainability.Franzão explains his work by saying, “My work is a dialogue between materiality, light, and form, where I engage with the inherent properties of sustainable, FSC-certified German paper and acrylic paints to explore the delicate tension between nature and creation”.Each piece is composed of meticulously folded pieces of paper layered and composed together to establish depth, texture, and movement, creating a kinetic energy within the static pieces. This dimension is created by the light and shadow interplaying with the physicality of the paper, activating the piece as a visual experience. Then a monochromatic gradient is introduced with the application of acrylic paint. Simulating the nuanced flow of natural light across the canvas, dark to light transitions all culminate in a concentrated white, contemplating cycles of change and renewal.He says, “I seek to create a visual experience where the audience is invited to consider not only the composition but also the ephemeral nature of light itself”.

Didier Engels

Didier Engels - "The Third Spray Black" - Photography - 39"x 51" Engels’ fascination with ports and ships is deeply rooted in his experiences growing up. As a child, he spent time wandering the docks, and at the age of 20, he worked as a docker in the port of Zeebrugge. These formative experiences created a lasting connection to the maritime world. The ships, containers, dockside structures, and rusted cars he photographs are more than industrial relics, they contain memory and altercation, bearing the marks of salt, spray, rust, and time. Cargo containers are his primary focus, chosen based on their rougher surfaces and deep, worn colors. By removing additional distractions and framing these subjects to emphasize their visual and chromatic aspects, Engels separates them from their real-world settings. Through the use of alignments, textures, and colors, this method allows viewers to interact with the image through abstraction before identifying the industrial object that is the subject of the composition. Through his lens, Engels elevates what we often overlook. Faded colors, oxidized marks, and sedimentary textures become the language through which he expresses beauty and impermanence. His photographs, which are bright yet aged in tone, reflect the life cycle of ships returning to port or being stored in dry dock. His dry dock series specifically uses aerial photography to capture several boat hulls. His art, exhibited across Europe and the United States, invites a reconsideration of the industrial landscape, challenging viewers to find grace and narrative in the rusted, the worn, and the forgotten.

Nayla Kai Saroufim

Nayla Kai Saroufim - "Upside Down" - Steel, Resin - 23"x 15 x 9" Nayla Kai Saroufim is a Lebanese artist based in Los Angeles and Beirut. She earned a degree in Illustration and Art Direction from the Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts. She had worked in the publicity field at several multinational advertising agencies, when she began to connect with her passion for art again. Since then, she has been working as a full time artist for over two decades, using art as a form of expression. Fluid and diverse, Nayla Kai Saroufim’s three-dimensional artworks merge abstraction and surrealism in a rich fusion of pop art inspirations. Saroufim’s artworks vary in abstract to realistic elements, often inspired by pop art, abstract expressionism, street art, and cartoon. Creative, a dreamer, and a lover of color and beauty, the artist’s personality is clearly portrayed in her sculptures. A decade into her career as an artist, Saroufim’s work embodies her attraction to colors and interest in all forms of expression, especially installations. Her technique is unique and personalized: a fusion of mixed media and installations in layers of steel, copper, wood, and other elements.

Gunes Caglarcan

Gunes Caglarcan - "Levels of Passage" - Oil on Canvas - 39" x 39" Based in Istanbul, Gunes Caglarcan is a multi-talented Turkish painter, who explores the relationship between inner reflection and human relations. With a focus on the effects both the mind and heart have on individual perception, Caglarcan invites the viewer to engage with the hidden narratives of human experience. The Shadows Collection reveals inner struggles and past traumas through shadowed figures, whereas the vibrant colors embody the outer self. This interplay of color and shadow explores psycho-visuals and manipulation of human perception. Using this perception as an element of composition he challenges the viewer to identify the relationships between objects and past experiences. “In the darkness, a void appeared not an absence, but an invitation. A deliberate empty space carved within the shadows, waiting to be filled by your memories, your silences, your forgotten moments.”

Mercedes Jelinek

Mercedes Jelinek - "East Meets West" - Inkjet Print, Map - 22" x 22" Mercedes Jelinek (b. 1985) is an American artist and photographer based in Brooklyn, NY. Specializing in black and white photography, she transforms her images through painting and collage, constructing visual narratives that explore the diversity of humanity and the intimate stories of her subjects. Her practice is deeply rooted in travel and cross-cultural engagement, often involving immersive experiences with people around the world—learning their values, traditions, and daily lives. A recurring element in her work is water—not only as a symbolic and physical motif but also as a space of transformation. When Jelinek enters the water, she sees it as an act of immersion into the culture surrounding her, a way to dissolve boundaries and connect more deeply with place and people.

Markus Klinko

Markus klinko  - "The Pack" - Photography- 47" x 60" Markus Klinko is an award-winning international photographer and director whose distinct style is defined by his willingness to push boundaries and experiment with unconventional techniques. His ability to capture the essence of his subjects while maintaining a strong artistic vision has made him highly sought after. Through his unique approach to photography, Markus has established himself as a true pioneer in the field, having worked with an impressive roster of A-list celebrities over the last three decades. When photographing an artist, I always desire to create a work that truly defines them and can serve as a milestone in pop-culture history. Those are ambitious and lofty goals, but it is what I am thinking about when I pick up my camera. - Markus Klinko Markus’ goal is always to highlight the qualities that make his subjects unique and extraordinary; their power, aura, and divine spark. Using unexpected perspectives, light, movement, and fashion, he creates unforgettable images that define what his subjects represent to the world.

Fremin Gallery 520 West 23rd street, New York City Info@fremingallery.com 212 279 8555

Fremin Gallery welcomes New Artists: Gary James McQueen, Pancho Luna, Lauren Camara, and Rodrigo Franzao.

 

Fremin is delighted to welcome several new artists whose works further enriches our gallery program. We look forward to presenting their pieces alongside our usual artists at upcoming art fairs as well as in forthcoming exhibitions where we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you. For more informations, contact us at info@fremingallery.com.

Gary James McQueen

Gary James McQueen was first introduced to the fashion industry by his late uncle Alexander McQueen, who mentored and inspired him to be the artist he is today. As head textile designer for Alexander McQueen Men’s Ready to Wear collections, the artist developed a niche in optical-illusion textile design, constantly pushing himself and the boundaries of what could be achieved using a 3D canvas as the basis. He worked alongside his uncle up until his passing in 2010 and was trusted with many personal projects, including the lenticular portrait that has become iconic for its use on the cover of the catalogue accompanying “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” the 2011 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today, Gary James McQueen combines a familial inheritance with his own artistic integrity to explore an innate dexterity with visual storytelling. McQueen's work will be on display at the upcoming  Hamptons Fine Art Fair in July followed by a solo exhibition at Fremin Gallery on July 16th.

Pancho Luna

Contemporary Argentinian artist Pancho Luna is gaining international attention for his striking sculptural works that transform the familiar form of the book into luminous objects crafted from glass and resin. Blending traditional symbolism with modern materials, Luna’s creations challenge viewers to reconsider the meaning of knowledge, memory, and permanence in the digital age. Luna’s sculptures preserve the recognizable silhouette of books while reimagining their physical presence. Cast in translucent resin and hand-worked glass, each piece captures light in ways that evoke fragility, depth, and quiet introspection. The works appear both solid and ethereal — a visual paradox that has become a defining characteristic of the artist’s style. Much like those volumes he could not yet read, the seductive appeal of these sculptures is, at least at first, almost entirely aesthetic. The clear, chromatically lined blocks are stacked, aligned, and tilted, setting slivers of fine lines and bright colors in staccato rhythms that flicker and change as the viewer moves across and around, peers inside and pulls away again. Their capturing and refracting of ambient light in blended, geometrical abstraction recalls the materialism of Light & Space artists like Vasa or Larry Bell. Ultimately, these works reflect his identity as a sculptor rather than a writer. Pancho first solo exhibition with Fremin Gallery will be held on April 23rd.

Lauren Camara

Lauren Camara is a Bronx-based, self-taught artist and graphic designer who creates layered portraits made entirely from carefully cut paper. Her work grows out of everyday encounters and quiet, often overlooked moments, turning them into colorful visual stories that feel both personal and familiar. She is drawn to the small, meaningful details that shape people’s lives, and her portraits reflect the idea that even simple moments can hold deep emotion and significance. Camara works from photographs of her subjects, building each portrait from her large and ever-growing collection of papers. Color and material are at the heart of her process where every piece of paper is chosen to reflect the personality, energy, and story of the person she is depicting. She spends hours cutting, arranging, and layering, allowing the slow, hands-on process to guide the final image. During this time, she focuses closely on the individual, thinking about their presence and character, so that the finished portrait feels thoughtful and connected rather than just visual. Through this detailed and time-intensive method, Camara creates portraits that go beyond simple likeness, capturing a sense of feeling and human connection. She has described her use of paper as both symbolic and metaphorical, where the layering process reflects the many experiences and stories that shape a person. Camara speaks about how her own life experiences shape the way she approaches portraiture. Having lived a full and varied life, she brings a sense of understanding and empathy to the people she represents.That lived awareness becomes part of the work itself, guiding her choices and strengthening the sense of connection that runs through each portrait. Camara's work will be on view in our upcoming group exhibition, "True Beauty" on June 4th.

Rodrigo Franzão

Rodrigo Franzão born 1982 in Sao Paulo, is a contemporary Brazilian artist based in New Orleans, whose work explores the relationship between form, texture, and color. Innovative in his exploration of textile mixed media, and with a background in Literature, Arts, and Art History, Franzao’s work examines the dynamic between material, texture, and color while maintaining environmental responsibility. Using FSC-certified German paper and acrylic paints, his work features layers of folded paper and textures, creating a dynamic, immersive experience with a maintained focus on sustainability. Franzão explains his work by saying, “My work is a dialogue between materiality, light, and form, where I engage with the inherent properties of sustainable, FSC-certified German paper and acrylic paints to explore the delicate tension between nature and creation”. Each piece is composed of meticulously folded pieces of paper layered and composed together to establish depth, texture, and movement, creating a kinetic energy within the static pieces. This dimension is created by the light and shadow interplaying with the physicality of the paper, activating the piece as a visual experience. Then a monochromatic gradient is introduced with the application of acrylic paint. Simulating the nuanced flow of natural light across the canvas, dark to light transitions all culminate in a concentrated white, contemplating cycles of change and renewal. He says, “I seek to create a visual experience where the audience is invited to consider not only the composition but also the ephemeral nature of light itself”. A leader in his medium, Franzão is the founder of Museu Têxtil, a virtual museum, and InTheArts, an art magazine that covers textile and mixed media practices. His other projects including Threads of Tomorrow (2024) and Textile Expressions (2023), continue to shape the future of contemporary textile art, reinforcing his status as an influential figure in the global art scene. His work forces viewers to reflect on the relationship between nature, art, and society, while considering fragility and the passage of time. Franzão says, “Art should not only resonate in the present moment but contribute to a future in which beauty and responsibility coexist. In this way, my work becomes a celebration of balance—between art and environment, form and formlessness, permanence and impermanence”

Upcoming Fairs

Upcoming Exhibition

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