Frédéric Lère lives and works in a Manhattan. His neighborhood which includes the Garment District, Hell’s Kitchen, and Hudson Yards, has become an endless painting ground.
He also has a painting studio in France, in the Loire Valley, which provides an opportunity to revisit the French Renaissance cradle. In the past few years, he enjoyed investigating the extent to which 16th century people were aware of the expeditions to the Americas. A large body of work devoted to that period was created, which continues to be featured in a number of exhibitions.
The paintings reveal that the issues faced during the 16th century are not that different from the ones we are facing today. Les Amériques et la Réforme, a subset in that series, opened on March 15. It remains on display at the Musée du Protestantisme – De la Réforme à la Laïcité, Ferrières, Tarn, until June 15, 2026. On May 23rd, during La Nuit des Musées, Lère was present at the Museum to discuss his work.
Following a number of 16th century-focused annual exhibitions at the Possonnière Manor, since early May 2026, an exhibition revisits gardens and chateaux in the Loire Valley and beyond. It will continue until September.
Maze in the Possonnière Garden, oil on canvas, 29 x 21 inches, 2026
New York City, 2023
As a painter, Lère always enjoys making live sketches of his neighborhood, some of which are later developed in the studio as oil paintings. In a fast changing environment, he documents some of the neighborhood landmarks, from Lincoln Tunnel, to the New York Times building.
The nearby Chelsea galleries provide another source of inspiration, where the observer becomes observed. There is always a lot to capture: interesting buildings, street scenes, and temporary or permanent art installations: from artwork on the HIgh Line, to the new Big Button in the Garment District, or Nick Cave’s Soundsuits on subway stations mosaics.
In Manhattan’s fast changing environment, Lère documents the action taking place on his neighborhood landmarks. As the Port Authority Bus Terminal may soon be revamped, he decided to celebrate the current building, reimagining it as a Roman bath in the style of the old Penn Station. Inspired by George Bellows documenting the Penn Station excavations over a century ago, he added some of the kids Bellows portrayed in other paintings.
Some of Lère’s Manhattan paintings have twice been shown on over 1,900 LinkNYC digital kiosks across the five boroughs of New York City, as part of the Art On Link program, an initiative developed by the City of New York.
Lère in his Hell’s Kitchen Studio
Image Copyright Ana Luiza Cortez, 2022
