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Frédéric Ballin

Born in Cannes La Bocca in 1973, Fred Ballin now lives in Auribeau-sur-Siagne — “because everything there is beautiful,” he says simply. An engineer by training and an innovation project manager in the automotive industry, he is also a creative tinkerer, both rational and poetic in his approach to form. With an academic path as rich as it is diverse — technical baccalaureate, BTS in electronics, DEUG, bachelor’s, master’s, and engineering school — Fred has never stopped observing, crafting, and transforming the world around him.

In his Mediterranean garden, he thinks of botany as others compose music. In his workshop, he invents a visual language made of materials, fire, textures, and repurposed objects. An insatiably curious mind, a passionate craftsman, and a design enthusiast, he loves to explore possibilities. “I’m drawn to two movements: modernism — which I prefer to call that rather than Art Deco — and brutalism, that way of expressing the truth of matter.”

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His work was presented in Monaco during a group exhibition organized by Art Collect®, marking a new stage of recognition for the artist.

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A selection of Available Works

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An epicurean at heart, fond of mountain biking, fishing, and sport shooting, Fred also cultivates a rare sense of aesthetic rigor. He hunts for objects, collects, restores, and creates. It was through the transformation of old objects that he first entered the artistic realm: lamps crafted from vintage pieces, clocks made from repurposed basins, hybrid furniture combining wood and metal… Then came the turning point: a documentary on Shou Sugi Ban — the ancestral Japanese technique of wood carbonization — sparked a deeper artistic awakening.

Fred Ballin has since developed a body of work where instinct and material engage in a subtle dialogue. Charred wood has become his medium of choice. He reveals its density, its texture, its scars. At times, his work evokes a poetic kinship with kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold. Far from smooth perfection, his creations celebrate the beauty of imperfection, the trace of time, and the nobility of the raw.

Art Collect Store - Fred Ballin - Totem

“Art exists only through the feeling and perception of others. Art for oneself is mere narcissism,” he states. This conviction shapes his entire approach: each piece is conceived as the neural center of a living space. “A work must blend into its environment — yet remain its focal point.” Through his compositions, Fred Ballin invents an integrated, living form of art — at the crossroads of design, craftsmanship, and sculpture. A free art, deeply rooted in matter… and profoundly human.

 

TESTIMONIALS

Just like his artistic taste, Frédéric’s creations are truly unique. I’ve enjoyed watching his compositions evolve over the past year, especially with the addition of color. I’d say his artworks reflect who he is: a mind constantly bubbling with ideas (burnt wood) and a heart of gold.

Emeline B.

Working together and sharing common interests, I had the opportunity to discover Frédéric’s hands-on talents — from stained glass designs to knife making. Then, he revealed a more personal side through his woodwork: a universe that truly captivated me, blending both artisanal craftsmanship and industrial flair.

Mathieu Deilhes

Frédéric’s works are truly impressive — they combine the nobility of wood with technical precision and mechanical elements through the use of copper tubing. It’s a brilliant display of originality and creativity. What I love most about his pieces are his colorful paintings: contemporary artworks of all sizes, where drips and flows seem perfectly orchestrated in their apparent disorder.

Damien Rosso