approaches to the artworks
rediscovered treasures
roman money, brown bkgd, by Carl Marthom
Another face of what we call “treasure”. These gold coins are those that ordinary people from all walks of life threw into the bottom of a sacred fountain, ages ago. Notables, slaves, soldiers, young girls in love, elderly parents... For a dear person who is suffering, a child who has gone far away, a beautiful neighbor, a friend in difficulty.
No greed in this gesture, quite the contrary: strong emotional feelings. True luxury is hidden in kindness. Everything else is swept away by time. These rediscovered truths could inspire other values for a rebirth of our world, because they are our deep humanity. Eternal, they will defy the centuries, as did these Roman coins.
No greed in this gesture, quite the contrary: strong emotional feelings. True luxury is hidden in kindness. Everything else is swept away by time. These rediscovered truths could inspire other values for a rebirth of our world, because they are our deep humanity. Eternal, they will defy the centuries, as did these Roman coins.
Stripes
In the beginning, the goal was a singular background for roman money. The strange light and the ambiance produced by these simple strippes conduced me not to add anything else, and to submit them to the public. A private collector invited me at home to show me the wondering effect of the artwork, which completely changed the atmosphere of the place. Convinced, I followed his advice, and decided to perform new opus on that theme.
people
the letter, oil on canvas, 12 Fig., private coll.
The most mysterious subject cannot be anything else than human being. These people have something very personal to hide. Every character is wondering and keeps a wound secret behind a hieratic appearance.
Blossoms and nature
Tree leaves apart, I'm studying particularly the lilies, following the example of Cy Twombly who processes invariably begonias. The peculiarity of this royal flower par excellence is its occupation of the space. On the chromatic plan, the juxtaposition of clear pastels and dim tones diffuses a poetic and sensitive vibration. The great formats are the most powerful. The big lilies send back to the powder universes of Yves Saint Laurent which left in my memory an indelible track of elegance, freshness and enjoyment.
Monuments
During the years in Toulouse "late" 1998-2004, I treated some monuments. It is necessary to say that the whole city is made by pink bricks, which give a particular charm to the architectural element. I discovered Nîmes, another roman town in the South of France. This temple practices on those who approach it an almost mystic hypnotic fascination. It is even more true under a moonlight. These painting were never shown yet to the public...
Sea world
Sardines ?… Why sardines? While making my shopping in a market hall, I noticed on the stall of the fishmonger a composed box of sardines loose under the white brightness of a spotlight. The box was worn out, almost black, so much it was filled with seawater, with blood and with iodine. This miserable case which the others would have found stinking, underlined marvelously the multicolored brightness of scales. I contemplated a long moment these fishes which glistened as jewels. The twinkling light of these poor beings, usually so modest condition, appeared to me as a supernatural delight. This illumination curiously reminded me the holy icons. The comparison can seem disturbing, but the message is there : humble beings, but taken on an aura a divine light which we cannot forget. For this day, I've been trying to restore this wondering emotion.