Frédéric Xavier Liver is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersections of effort, vulnerability, and transformation. Through video, performance, and physically engaged processes, he examines how learning and embodiment can become pathways to personal and collective reflection.
His practice investigates the political dimensions of labor, the humility of time, and the role of apprenticeship—understood both as a form of transmission and as an act of resistance. Whether working with movement, sport, or rituals of repetition, Liver frames each gesture as a metaphor for resilience and human connection.
Since graduating from the Brera Academy in Milan, he has developed large-scale visual series and collaborative performances that center on endurance and shared experience. Notable works include San Siro, a monumental painting series; Geometric Youth, involving a group of tattooed participants; and the film Les Quatre Mille Coups (2021), in which he attempts to master Maurice Béjart’s choreography for Boléro, confronting the vulnerability of learning through the body.
In 2023, Liver launched It could have been… Gold, an ongoing video series that places encounters and apprenticeship at the heart of his research. His projects often unfold through travel, collaboration, and intimate exchanges—creating works rooted in lived experience, the act of doing with others, and the quiet, political power of persistence.


FRÉDÉRIC XAVIER LIVER
Born 1980 – Harfleur (F)
Lives and works in between Verpel and Brussels.

EDUCATION
Graduated at Brera Fine Art School in 2005, Milan.

EXHIBITIONS
2025
LES QUATRE MILLE COUPS. ‘De Chantal Akerman à aujourd’hui’ Arts.film. Canada.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN… KOKI Arts, Tokyo. ( to be defined ) 
POOLS. Art Center Ongoing, Tokyo.

2024
THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT WANTS, PuntWG. Amsterdam.
BOUDERRA. Olympiade Culturellle. Théâtre des Amandiers. Nanterre
BOUDERRA. Manège de Reims. Grandpré
BOUDERRA. 41e journées européennes du patrimoine. Musée de la Reddition. Reims
OLYMPIADES ARDENAISES. Manège de Reims. Buzancy
DANSUL SATULUI. MNTRplusC – Bucharest. RO
LES QUATRE MILLE COUPS. FIFA – DIffusion sur Arts.film. Canada.

2023
LES QUATRE MILLE COUPS – Around video – Art Fair. Bruxelles
FESTIVAL D’ART CONTEMPORAIN MARCEL LONGCHAMP, Marseille
E IL TOPO. History of an artists… Italian Cultural Institute. New York
E IL TOPO. History of an artists’ magazine with an unusual editorial strategy.
MADRE. Naples E IL TOPO. History of an artists’ magazine with an unusual editorial strategy.
MACRO. Rome FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL FILM D’ART, FIFA 2023 – Montreal
NUIT NUMÉRIQUE – Saint EX Culture Numérique. Reims

2022
LES QUATRE MILLE COUPS – Galerie V/MSP. Bruxelles
AVANT GOÛT- Saint EX Culture Numérique. Reims
INTERNATIONAL DANCEFILMFESTIVAL BRUSSELS – Cinematek. Brussels
BREAKING THE BACKBOARD – Nuit Blanche 2022 de Bruxelles.
BREAKING THE BACKBOARD – ARTDENTHÉ. Générateur Gentilly.
BREAKING THE BACKBOARD – Abbaye de Noirlac..
BELGIAN BEAUTIES – DansCentrumJette. Brussels.
TIMELESS AWARDS FILM FESTIVAL. Wrocław PL. ( Prix Meilleur Film Journal intime )
STOCKHOLM CITY FILM FESTIVAL. Stockholm. SE.
NYNG – Nil Gallery.New York. US.

2021
BALLAD OF ESCAPE. MNTRplusC – Bucharest. RO. 2021
BREAKING THE BACKBOARD. Mars. Mons. 2021
APEX FILM FESTIVAL. Brighton. UK 2021 ( online )
LULEÅ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Luleå, SE. 2021
CALCUTTA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Kolkata. 2021 (Prix Meilleur film Expérimental )
ROMA PRISMA FILM FESTIVAL. Roma. IT. 2021

2020
BREAKING THE BACKBOARD. Festival Mouvements de Rue. Sedan
2” DEEP – 2” WIDE. UKYA. Nottingham

2019
KAK. Performance. NESXT Docks Dora, Torino
E IL TOPO – E IL TORO. Performance. Thomas Dane Gallery. Naples
PUBLIC POOL #6. Frac Champagne Ardenne / C.E.A. Reims
JAMAIS UNE PENSEE N!ABOLIRA LE HASARD. Galerie ERG Brussels
IS THIS JUST FANTASY?. Manège de Reims
FRICHE O RAMA 2019. La fileuse. Reims

2018
2” DEEP – 2” WIDE. BoCS Art Museum. Cosenza
PICCOLI ITALIANI CRESCONO. Ginnasio Fratelli Bandiera. Cosenza

2017
INDEXMAKERS – E IL TOPO – Le 19 – CRAC Montbeliard
2” DEEP – 2” WIDE . n.w.w.n.n.l.n.o. Brussels GEOMETRIC YOUTH 17. Maison Vide. Reims

2016
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 16. The Hutt, Primary. Nottingham.
FICTION CRITIQUE. E IL TOPO. CLARK Center Montréal.
THE BLACKBOX THEORY. BB15. Linz.

2015
SVILUPPO / PARALLELO- Kunstmuseum of Luzern EBIENALE 3, Bucharest.
CASTELLI DI SABBIA, E IL TOPO – Museo Nivola, Orani.
LA MOULE FABULEUSE. E IL TOPO – Robb Pruitt!s Flea Market. Venezia.
A CRY THAT SUMMONS THE STORM. Galateca. Bucharest.
SALO – GEOMETRIC YOUTH 15. Espace des Salaisons. Paris.
RIQUET À LA HOUPPE. Shakirail. Paris
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 14. The Can – Carol 53, Bucharest.
MA PATIENCE A DES LIMITES, Galerie Dubois Friedland. Bruxelles.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 13. Cabinet du Livre D!Artiste, Rennes. 2014
UN REVE D!ETERNITÉ, E IL TOPO, FRAC Bretegne, Rennes.
THE CITY SHUDDERS – STONE EXHALE, Galerie Estace, Paris.
PENELOPE S!EN VA. – Galerie Grand E!terna.Paris
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 12. FRASQ 2014 , Le Générateur. Gentilly.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 11. Nuit Blanche 2014 – Espace des Salaisons. Paris.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 10. UKG – PRAHA.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 9. UKG – PISEK.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 8 UKG – C. Krumlov.
NO KAWARA. Galerie Nivet-Carzon. Paris
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 7. Galerie Nivet Carzon. Paris.

2013
HELTER SKELTER. Galerie Nivet-Carzon. Paris
GEOMETRIC YOUTH 6. STRCAMP. Moletai. (LT)
FIREWIRE. Espace des Blancs Manteaux, Paris
THE CITY SHUDDERS – STONE EXHALE, Galerie Estace, Leipzig

2012
SELFMADE. Biancovolta. Viterbo SLICK !12. Galerie Nivet-Carzon. Paris
ART VILNIUS !12 . Galerie Nivet-Carzon. Vilnius
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED. Galerie Nivet-Carzon. Paris

2011
IL BELPAESE DELLARTE. GAMEC. Bergamo GEOMETRIC YOUTH V5. Biancovolta. Viterbo
ESTACE FAIT SON SALON. Galerie Estace. Paris.
WITH YOU IN THE SOUTH. Galerie Estace. Paris.
THE THOUSAND. EX-POLIS Fabbrica del Vapore. Milano
ITALIAN HISTORY X -Mostra sul 150° dell!Unità d!Italia. Viterbo
ITALIAN HISTORY X -Mostra sul 150° dell!Unità d!Italia. TRIENNALE. Milano
GEOMETRIC YOUTH V4. Ventre de la Baleine. Pantin.

2010
GEOMETRIC YOUTH V3 . Chic Art Fair 2010. Paris.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH V2 . FRASQ 2010. @ Les Salaisons, Romainville
GEOMETRIC YOUTH. Maisons des Arts. Malakoff.

2009
BORDER LINES, galerie les Salaisons , Romainville

2008
82955 SAN SIRO, Galerie Annarumma404, NAPOLI. (I)

2006
KASSELER DOKUMENTARFILM FESTIVAL, KASSEL. (D) URP! Cagliari. (I)

GRANTS / AWARDS
2025 Best experiment movie – Dansul Satului – London Movie Awards
2024 Culture moves europe individual mobility – Creative Europe programme of the European Union and implemented by Goethe-Institut
2024 Aide à la création et à la recherche. Région Grand EST
2024 AiA. DRAC Grand EST-ministère de la Culture
2023 2021 Sélection Officielle LES QUATRE MILLE COUP, FIFA. Montréal
2021 Italian Council with E IL TOPO Storia di una rivista d’artista con un’insolita strategia editoriale 2021 Aide à la création et à la recherche. Région Grand EST
2021 Sélection Officielle LES QUATRE MILLE COUP, INTERNATIONAL DANCE FILM FESTIVAL BRUSSELS
2021 Best Diary Film (with LES QUATRE MILLE COUPS) TIMELESS AWARDS
2021 Best Experimental Film (with the 4000 Blows) Calcutta International Festival, Kolkata.

WORKSHOP – Residencies
2025 – KOKI Arts, Tokyo.
2025 – Art Center Ongoing, Tokyo.
2025 – Dansul Satului, part II. MNTRplusC, Schela – Bucharest
2023 – IT COULD HAVE BEEN… GOLD. MNTRplusC, Schela – Bucharest
2022 – VOICE OVER monument . INSEAMM, Marseille (Workshop)
2020 – 2” DEEP – 2” WIDE. University of Lincoln. Lincoln (Workshop)
2019 – Cartographier l’Empire . ERG Brussels
2017 – n.w.w.n.n.l.n.o. Brussels
2016 – AQB- Budapest
2016 – The Hutt. Primary. Nottingham
2015 -The CAN – Bucharest
2014 – UKG – Workshop PRAHA.& PISEK.
2014 – UKG – Workshop PISEK.
2014 – UKG Residency C.KRUMLOV.
2004 -CORRADO LEVI WORKSHOP
2005 – FABIO MAURI WORKSHOP

PUBLICATIONS
E IL TOPO, Storia di una rivista d’artista con un’insolita strategia editoriale
VOICE OVER : n1/ n2/ n3/ n4/ n5/ n6/ n7
E IL TORO n1
n.w.w.n.n.l.n.o. – ERG Brussels
BB15, 15/18 an overview.BB15 Linz.
Artist-Run Spaces around and about 2012-2015-2017 aux éditions des Presses du Réel.
GEOMETRIC YOUTH. Hutt Collective . Dizzy Ink. 2016.
Un MANIFESTO TOPISTA. Museo Nivola – Edizioni Postmedia 2016.
E IL TOPO Manifesto
E IL TOPO : N12 / N13 / N14 / N15 / N16 / N17 / N18 / N19 / N20 / N21 /N22 / N24 IL BELPAESE DELLARTE._ catalogue
EXIT EXPRESS _ Novembre 2008.
EXIBART _ Novembre 2008.
KASSELER DOKUMENTARFILM FESTIVAL_ catalogue,
URP !_ catalogue