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Imaginary Crossing

« Charon crossing the Styx » by the 15th-century Flemish painter Joachim Patinir has guided me in choosing the subjects I have used over the last few years.

As in the work of Joachim Patinir, the subjects of bridges, the cliffs of Etretat and imaginary escapes, convey the crossing from one bank to another, from sky to water, and from Heaven to Hell.

In order to free myself from the representation of the subject and move towards conveying light and matter, I chose to work according to the principle of the series.

The discovery of the approach of the Italian painter Giorgio Morandi, who devoted a large part of his work to a few objects to be found in his studio was a decisive factor in this choice. The longer I work on a subject, the further I progress towards its disappearance. It may eventually disappear altogether, but it will always have existed previously, either in reality or in my imagination. Abstraction thus becomes narration, and one is free to follow one’s own story.

This approach to painting also entails a choice of technique, based on egg tempera. This technique was used in the 15th century, by the Italian Primitives, icon painters and more recently by such artists as Viera da Silva and Rothko.

I regard the preparation of my colours like cooking recipes. Starting from the pigments, I add various elements depending on the results I wish to obtain.

The practice of painting is an endless quest, which I pursue happily …