Nef

Nef (born 1977) is a painter from Lyon who makes pop portraits in bright colours or worked in black-and-white chiaroscuro. She has drawn since childhood and trained at the Beaux-Arts de Lyon, graduating in 2000 with a DNSEP awarded with distinction.

During her studies, Nef worked with experimental video and installation. She then developed the graphic design studio Nef&bze©, focused on electronic music. In 2021, she devoted herself entirely to painting.

Nef's portraits start from questions about human beings, their place in relation to nature, and their emotions. She likes to let absurdity or contemporary disenchantment surface in them, under often evocative titles such as "Astronomia" or "Lady moon". Her painting combines traditional and contemporary techniques, and Nef readily changes support. She names Moebius and James Jean among her influences.

In 2022, Nef exhibited at District Art Fair in Paris and at Art3F Brussels, while Super Duper Gallery gave her a solo exhibition in the Philippines. The following year, her canvases were shown at Art Fair Philippines and at Super Duper Gallery in Manila, as well as at Joyman Gallery in Bangkok. In 2025, Holy Street Gallery in Lyon presented a new solo exhibition by Nef.