Neist
Romain Fontaine is a French visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice flows seamlessly between the urban and the natural, the structural and the intuitive. Born in 1987 just east of Paris, Romain began drawing as a way to explore the world around him, a habit that evolved into a lifelong creative pursuit.
His journey as an artist began with curiosity and instinct: a self-taught practice driven by the desire to translate emotion, place, and experience into visual form. In his teenage years, Romain was introduced to graffiti, an art form that would profoundly shape his creative trajectory. The thrill of large-scale murals, the physicality of painting in the public realm, and the energetic dialogue between artwork and environment became a cornerstone of his expression. Under the pseudonym Neist, he developed a name in the European graffiti scene, painting in locations as varied as central London and rural China.
For Romain, graffiti was never just about spray paint, it was about movement, form, rhythm. It sparked a deep fascination with typography, space, and flow, which continues to inform his practice today.
Now working primarily between canvas and wall, Fontaine’s art is characterised by its merging of structural detail with organic movement. His pieces feel both expansive and introspective built on form, yet steeped in feeling. His paintings often feature fluid linework, architectural elements, and delicate mark-making that reflect his dual affinity for the manmade and the natural. His background in graffiti taught him to listen to space, while his more recent works show an increasing sensitivity to quietness, to pause, and to pace.
A long-time London resident, Romain spent over a decade in the city where he refined his practice, was selected for the artist community at 401½ Studios, and collaborated with local organisations, festivals, and public art projects. The city’s energy, built environments, and constant interaction between people and place left an undeniable imprint on his creative language.
In 2022, Romain relocated with his wife and young daughter to the South Cévennes, France. Swapping London’s intensity for the serenity of nature, his work has embraced a slower, more introspective rhythm. Inspired by the wilderness that now surrounds him, he explores the interplay between chaos and calm, geometry and gesture.
His practice continues to evolve, shaped by a deep respect for process, material, and environment. Whether on a mural in a bustling metropolis or a canvas in his Cévennes studio, Romain’s work invites the viewer into a meditative space, one where visual storytelling and emotional texture meet.
Romain Fontaine doesn’t just paint what he sees he paints what he senses. His work speaks to movement, memory, and place. And whether in ink, aerosol, or acrylic, his language is unmistakably his own.
Creative Debuts have showcased Neist as part of our adidas Superstar showcases
