Sequences
The works communicate within themselves as well as one with the other: as they are juxtaposed, more sense and even narrative quality emerge through the space between the images. This effect is similar to the gutter (1) or space between the panels of a graphic novel as our imagination takes the two images boarding the gutter and transforms them into a single idea.
About the practice
Combining a formation in Graphic Novel and Illustration from Liège (BE) with the rigorous academic techniques of the Painting faculty in Cluj-Napoca (RO), I connect the different visual languages that I practice:
-painting as an endurance battle between the support, colours, light, composition and myself as the bearer of the work. The product of in-depth study and practice, painting consists for me in a broad and consistent attempt at reaching a comprehensive and detailed level of interpretation of the outside world flowing through my eyes and hands.
Like drawings with gravity, they are single, outlined images gaining narrative quality even outside of themselves when juxtaposed.
-the fast, expressive, spontaneous drawing in its simplest form: sensible drawing in its essence: “Esquisses, je vous adore, car vous n'êtes pas le début du dessin, vous en êtes l’essentiel!” (2) as well as its graphical and technical aspects through synthetical forms, instinctive catch of outlines and lines themselves. In some cases, l’esquisse vaut le tableau (3) (the sketch is worth the painting), as it may contain most of a representation’s meaning.
-the narrative quality inside single or between juxtaposed images or graphic novel as a sequential art in its simplest form and not especially as printed or published medium: the earliest traces of art in the Chauvet Cave, for example, had narrative quality and sequentiality in this sense (4). This may also be perceived as writing with images.
These three elements form the base of my approach. They are the core of it. Purposely or not, each work is part of a series and a brick in my wall; marks rehearsing the flow of moments, life events, fascinations, discoveries, readings of which I am the product. I arrange these works in series that I show in separate expositions - these series themselves being part of the longer thread of my works that need to be articulated. I am a boat swayed by the waves, my storm is inside - Je suis un bateau battu par les vagues, ma tempête est intérieure.
References:
(1) Scott Mc Cloud, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, Vertigo, 1993
(2) R. Enthoven & J. Liechtenstein quote Sacha Guitry in Philosophie - Jacqueline Liechtenstein/ Peut-on dire que le dessin donne la vie?, ARTE France/ARTE Deutschland GmbH, program aired on 10.01.2016
(3)Paul Valéry in A. Lothe, Peinture d’abord, Denoël, 1942
(4)Werner Herzog, The Cave of Forgotten Dreams (documentary film), 2010 