Simon Raab

Born in 1952 in Toulouse/France.

Lives and works in Santa Barbara/USA.

Simon Raab works in a unique medium, he coined and patented as "Parleau", whose etymology is French for 'through the water'. Multiple layers of colored polymers are applied to stainless steel and aluminum and then "crushed" or sculpted to give the appearance of an image just under the surface of water. The art is presented as either a wall-mounted painting with embedded frames, or as a freestanding volumetric sculpture. Raab's work is characterized by brilliant colors, figurative abstractions, and most often conveys some underlying philosophical message.

Raab has enjoyed several successful years of exhibitions in Europe and North America. He was formerly a scientist and engineer and brings his rich technical training in materials to bear on his art. He credits the secret processes he has developed in Parleau to his scientific background. "It is a myth that the creative impulses and process in the sciences are different than those in the arts. They have many similarities, in that they are emotional, inspired, magical, technical, and are often born of frustration," explained Raab.

2013

"Artworks for the Cure", T.J. Martell Foundation, Santa Monica, CA, USA

"Boobies & Wieners" (group), Hot Art Wet City, Toronto, Canada

"Political Climate Change" (group), E Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA

"Up, Up & Away" (group), Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA, USA

"Accrochage" (group), Galerie Peter Zimmermann, Mannheim, Germany


2012

"Pull the Pin", Galerie Peter Zimmermann, Mannheim, Germany

“Crushed”, Lausberg Contemporary, Toronto, Canada

“Vibrations”, Kunsthalle Dresden, Germany

"Dichtung und Wahrheit", Galerie Barbara von Stechow, Frankfurt, Germany

"Surface Tension“, Michael Schultz Gallery Seoul, South Korea


2011

“I Have the Right” (group), Picture Art Foundation, Carson, USA

"Parleau 2007-2011", Galerie Edith Rieder, Munich, Germany

"From Behind These Bars", Kunstverein Mannheim, Germany

"Complexhibition", Galerie Peter Zimmermann,Mannheim, Germany

"From Behind These Bars", Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria


2010

"Attraverso l'acqua - Parleau", Claudio Poleschi Arte Contemporanea, Palazzo Ducale, Massa, Italy

"Miscellaneous" (group), Galerie Peter Zimmermann,Mannheim, Germany

"What comes together must come apart", Art Affairs, Amsterdam, The N...