"The canvas as an open window to the spirit"
I make art for myself: to discover and affirm who I am whilst also expressing the spiritual nature of humanity.
For others too, to add a bit of beauty to the world. To make people feel understood and less alone – which art has always done for me.
But ultimately, I make art because it imposes itself as the most immutable and obvious certainty in my life.
My artworks are the result of a fight during which I struggle to project my spirit on the canvas.
My subjects are vessels in which I pour all the forces that drive me, so that I can make something true. These vessels may evoke familiar shapes, but I treat them first and foremost as a raw accumulation of paint marks guided by my gesture - hence by my spirit.
As I guide them, I seek the line between figurative and abstract. It is for me the best way to be with everything I love and say all I have to say.
I also often work with live models, because I find humanity beautiful and fascinating.
When I work, I try to reach an artistic truth both personal and universal. It is that truth that allows me to create a deep, coherent and independent work that is able to stand on its own.
Approach
My work is paced by moments of spontaneous gesture which I then seek to harmonize. It’s important for me to preserve the raw aspects of these moments without compromising them.
I tend to chose methods and mediums that require me to be vigorous ; I enjoy scrapping, digging, or using my entire body on my canvas. For this I seek big formats and use a lot of paint.
Technique
I mostly paint using acrylics and oils. Acrylic allows me to maintain control on my drying times whilst covering large surfaces quickly. Oil is for everything else, especially color and trace. I sometimes use pastel and gouache. Pastel is used to give texture and lets me do drawing alongside painting.
I tend to use my mediums raw and pure, avoiding water or other diluents besides the occasional glacis.
When drawing I use sanguine and charcoal for sketches or when I focus on values. I also use Indian ink for gesture and rhythms.
