The “ Free Spirit “ Paris Contemporary Art Award Esprit libre Prix d’Art Contemporain à Paris / 2025 was initiated by the ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE DES DESIGNERS ET DES ARTISTES with the aim of discovering and rewarding contemporary artists with an independent artistic spirit.
“Free Spirit” is the core driving force of contemporary art creation. Artists break free from visible and invisible shackles - breaking through traditional techniques, challenging inherent concepts, transcending cultural boundaries, and facing the truth in their hearts. “Free Spirit” is not only an exhibition, but also a testament to artistic creation.A tribute to and exploration of the original power, this series of works uses a unique visual language to deeply depict an individual’s perception, questioning, joy and pain of the world.
The winning works are the best selected by the academic committee from a vast array of entries this year. They draw pure inspiration from the void of thought, nurturing unique innovative practices. With unfettered imagination and profound insights, they create some of the most moving works of our time.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition of winning works was presided over by Zhu Tongzhen, Secretary General of the International Association of Artists and Designers of France.
The French Academic Committee Jérôme-Cécil Auffret presents the prize to the winning artists, jointly with Jérôme-Cécil Auffret (international Emmy Award winner) and Karim Houfaïd. Pat Andréa
The committee awarded Mr. Pat Andréa the “Artistic Achievement” medal for his significant contributions in the field of art !
Jérôme-Cécil Auffret, Academic Committee
Zhang Yanfeng, Chairman of the China Region of the French International Association of Artists and Designers, spoke on behalf of the winning artists of the 2025 Paris Contemporary Art Award .
This year’s “Free Spirit “ Paris Contemporary Art Award/ Special Prize for Contemporary Art is awarded to artist Han Zhongren in recognition of his achievements in artistic exploration and expression.
ESPRIT LIBRE
Paris Contemporary Art Award
2025
ESPRIT LIBRE PRIX SPÉCIAL D’ART CONTEMPORAIN
M.HAN Zhongren
Korean-Chinese
Art Review:
Artist Han Zhongren’s works are born to the rhythm of symphonies, and his abstract expressionist paintings possess a strong visual identity and rich spiritual connotations. Viewing his works, one can sense a powerful sense of the collision and turbulent emotions that crisscross the canvas, where splashes of paint and rapid brushstrokes blend into a seamless musical composition. While seemingly completed in a flash, upon closer inspection, his works become intriguing, revealing the subtlety and depth of the artist’s spiritual emotions beneath his passionate brushstrokes. Han Zhongren’s choice of a record-keeping method, written with paint, eliminates the deliberate decorative shaping and meticulously focused depiction. Through layers of overlay and seemingly ambiguous smears, he presents the spiritual presence of a living being at various moments. Within the limited expressive range of color layers and brushstrokes, he constructs a boundless vision of the human spirit.
Prix Platine
Platinum Award
ZHENG Hao
Award-winning artist: Zeng Hao
Œuvre : Illusion and Fiction ZENG Hao
Art Review:
Zeng Hao uses a surrealist approach to depict a real world in illusion, full of illusions of desire, which express the fragile and uneasy hearts and real living conditions of modern people. He uses urban humanities and social landscapes as a medium to care about the history of modern times.Phenomena such as “globalization” and “consumption trends”, the bubbles and blurred or even unrecognizable landscapes in the works are precisely the doubts about this uncertain modern history.
Prix Platine
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
Zhang Yanfeng
Award-winning artist: Zhang Yanfeng
Art Review:
The work “The Sky - Interstellar Poetry” uses coins as stardust and oil paint as the Milky Way, constructing a “ field of meaning “ that is both real and illusory— a place where the coldness of matter coexists with the poetry of the universe, and the insignificance of humanity coexists with the grandeur of the spirit. “ We are made of stardust, and now we gaze upon the stars. “ We are all scavengers of the universe, searching for forgotten fragments of the soul in the age of interstellar exploration.
Prix Argent
Silver Award
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
SUN lijun
Award-winning artist: Fan Beilu ( Sun Lijun)
Product : oiseau
Artiste : Fan Beilu
Materi al : Encre de Chine sur papier
Specification : 45×45 cm
Art Review:
“Bird” is a contemporary ink painting that blends Eastern philosophical reflections with contemporary abstract language. The artist utilizes a naturalistic ink-wash rendering technique , with the ink flowing freely across the rice paper, blending, colliding , and creating a visual effect resembling a mountain, yet not a mountain, a cloud, yet not a bird. Like a mass of undifferentiated, chaotic energy, the painting creates a visual experience that transcends form and returns to chaos. Within this rich, saturated ink, a single, eye-catching, black bird in the upper left corner soars through the air, lightly piercing the silence and heaviness, becoming the sole concrete symbol of the painting. It represents both a natural creature and a symbol of awakening and penetration, reflecting the spiritual position in an age of information overload and the reconstruction of meaning. Through the juxtaposition of control and loss of control, the work embodies the spiritual essence of “vivid energy” in Eastern aesthetics, while also alluding to the uncertainty of “meaning-making” in the age of artificial intelligence, evoking a dual reflection on the origins of the universe and contemporary visual experience.
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
ZHANG Yufeng
Award-winning artist: Zhang Yufeng
Product : Série Fragments 1
Artiste : Yufeng Zhang
Material : Peinture synthétique à l’acrylique
Specification : 60×50(cm)
Art Review:
The work “Fragment Series 1 “ uses the “selflessness” state of the core Eastern thought, that is, the expression of unconscious traces, that is, the author’s natural and authentic unconscious behavior state in creation, expressing that all life is an important part of nature.
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
Chen leyi
Winning artist: Chen Leyi
Product : “ Beyond The Rice “
Artiste : Leah Chan
Material : Rice Specification : Variable
Art Review:
What is the connection between food , perception, and memory ? I view the familiar foods and cooking methods in my life as a “metaphor” for thinking about the relationship between individuals and others; the construction of personal identity is a symbolic practice and value-building process that transcends time and space. In this project, the author draws inspiration from the attitude of traditional Chinese culinary philosophy towards food, combining it with the exploration of food in contemporary art. Using rice as the raw material, the artist hopes to provide the audience with a new and unique sensory experience.
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
WEI yanqing
Winning artist: Wei Yanqing
Product :Global Pulse – La puissance des ports
Artiste：yanqing Wei
Material : pigments minéraux naturels
Specification : 60X60cm
Art Review:
As a key hub for world trade and cultural integration, ports carry the mission of connecting the world.——In “The Power of Ports”, the value of ports is decoded with artistic language: large blocks of color are used to construct visual symbols, natural mineral pigments, metal foils, and natural sandstone are selected, and the texture and thickness of the materials are used to reflect the order and diversity of the trade order, allowing the elements to be interwoven into“The world is closely connected”At the same time, the fusion of mineral colors and the luster of metals show the core value and unique charm of the port in the global economy in multiple dimensions.
Prix Bronze
Bronze Award
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
Wang Yan
Winning artist: Wang Yan (Italy)
Auteur: Wang Yan
Œuvre : Faintly : De l’Invisible à Visible
Matériaux: Miroirs, peinture spéciale
Dimensions : 15X15 cm
Art Review:
This work uses an everyday wall-mounted makeup mirror as a medium, leveraging the mirror’s reflective properties and the expressive function of text to construct an exploration field of “vagueness: from the invisible to the visible.”
The work attempts to break the inertia of daily mirroring, allowing viewers to perceive the emotional dimensions that are drowned out by the fast pace of society through the familiar act of looking in the mirror. Through the interaction between the individual, the mirror, and the text, the work aims to re-anchor the relationship between the self and the world - how do we “ see”?How is it around”look”Shaping, in the vague appearance of the mirror, salvages the neglected folds of the soul and explores the emotional connection between the individual and society.
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
HAN didi
Winning artist: Han Didi
Œuvre : La Porte de la Matrice
CosmiqueAuteur : Han Didi
Matériaux: Pigments minéraux, acrylic, feuilles and poudre d’or, perles célestes
Dimensions : 80 cm × 100 cm
Art Review:
Drawing from ancient Eastern philosophy , the work explores the invisible and mysterious power of the universe. It showcases the cycle of life , the infinity of the universe , and the eternal flow of consciousness. Like the silent power of Tao that nurtures all things , it reveals the artist’s inner universe.
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
ZHANG le
Winning artist: Zhang Le (France)
Product : Série de Lotus N44
Artiste : Le Zhang
Material : Peinture a l’huile sur Tissu Provencal
Specification : 92*65cm
Art Review:
This work combines traditional southern French homespun fabric with the traditional Chinese lotus motif, harmoniously presenting these two cultures. It utilizes the subtraction of time to blend the abstract with the concrete. The lotus symbolizes harmony in Eastern philosophy and can also represent the relationship between yin and yang . This is a fusion work that collides imagery, time, and culture!
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
DAI xi
Award-winning artist: Dai Xi
Œuvre : Guanyin et le cerf divin
Auteur : Dai Xi
Matériau : huile sur toile
Dimensions : 80 x 120 cm
Art Review:
Dai Xi’s works explore a dynamic energy between similarity and dissimilarity: gathering and releasing, triggering fluctuations in the viewer’s vision and emotions. Mountains and rivers, flying fish, insects, birds, unique rocks, and rare animals are all brought to life through her unique application of the “ rheological principle , “ resulting in a powerful sense of energy in her works .
Artiste récompensé de l’année :
SHANG liang
Award-winning artist: Shang Liang
Œ uvre : Rêve
Auteur : Shang Liang
Matériau : Huile
Dimensions : 80 x 80 cm
Art Review:
The “Dream Series” derives from the illusions of the human subconscious, both real and imaginary. People often bury their true emotions, obscure their intuition, and complicate their goals. A deconstructed life, however, loses its most intuitive expression. In this “dream,” leaves and river water become the medium of expression. Humans are part of nature. When people see nature through this work, they also see their own subconscious—a “dream.”
Images and culture
Prix Platine
Works by award-winning artists in the video and culture categories
Images/culture : photographie humanist e /
Prix Platine
M. HAOCHEN DING
Πuvre : Observateur des traces
Auteur : Ding Haochen
Matériau : Papier doré polychrome
Dimensions : 40x60 cm
“Observing Traces” draws upon the ruined Buddhist statues found in ancient Chinese grottoes. Drawing on the traces left by centuries of natural weathering, war, dynastic change, and historical upheaval, it reveals that impermanence and suffering are the norm in life — even the omnipotent gods are not immune. This is not only an awakening to the ultimate meaning of life, but also a profound concern and redemption for the suffering of the present.
Images / notions:« Chute » /
Prix Platine
Mme. YULAN GAO
Œ uvre : « Chute »
Auteur: Yulan Gao
Catégorie : Photographie
Dimensions : 53x38 cm
When people are under the siege of real life,The image, as an expression of emotion, alerts and directs the viewer. This conceptual image expresses distress, subconscious fear, anxiety, and psychological dilemmas. Each scene is like a dream or hallucination.slices.
Images / Critique du réalisme : Village de Wulong /
Prix Platine
Mme. QIAO SUN
Auteur : Qiao Sun
Œuvre : Wulong Village - 1033
Catégorie : Photographie
Dimensions : 53x38 cm
The work uses surrealist vocabulary to outline the contemporary emotional dilemma. The combination and interaction of multiple people symbolize the capture and alienation of interpersonal relationships. We want to rescue others, but we are also afraid of being completely trapped. We are bound by the barely maintained emotional ties, which seem transparent but are full of visible barriers .Always floating in theIdealistic desire beyond close distance.In the desolateness, there is closeness and alienationEternal dialectic.
Images / Critique du réalisme: « Village de Wulong » /
Prix Platine
Mme. XiaoJun Mo
Œuvre : Perdu
Auteur : XiaoJun Mo
Catégorie : Photographie
Dimensions : 53x38 cm
The author uses three characters and visual symbols such as circles, inverted universes, and ropes to create a repressive space, implying emotions such as bondage and shackles in real society.
Images / Art de la terre / Écologie /
Prix Platine
Mme. HAIXIA XU
Nom : Série Terre
Auteur : Xu Haixia
Catégorie : Photographie
Dimensions : 53x38 cm
The work features wrapped colorful figures against a barren desert backdrop, expressing the insignificance and fragility of individual human life within the vastness of the universe.
Art thérapeutique et expérientiel / Dessin /
Prix Platine
M. KAI WANG
Œ uvre : Retour à la nature
Auteur: Kai Wang
Dimensions : 53 cm x 38 cm
Catégorie : Peinture
The artwork achieves a release of body, mind and spirit through the casual process of color mixing and scraping, presenting a natural psychological healing experience.
Guests from all over the world attended the opening reception of the exhibition to witness the selected and winning artists of 2025 and appreciate the outstanding works of art.
ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ALE DESIGNERS SE DES ARTISTES Deep cooperation with Art Basel International, France Salon Spring, France Salon Autumn, France Salon International, France ARTSHOPPING, Italy Da Vinci Art Award, New York Art Fair, Dubai Art Center, Lille Art Fair, Beijing International Art and Design Fair, etc. Support and assist artists in building global artistic influence. The French International Artists and Designers Association has established in-depth cooperation with Art Basel International, France Salon Spring, France Salon Autumn, France International Art Salon, French Contemporary Art Fair, Italy Da Vinci Art Award, New York Art Fair, Dubai Art Center, Beijing International Art and Design Fair, etc., to provide support and assistance for artists to build global artistic influence!
