Pompeii, 2021

I want my paintings to have an open, unfinished aspect: drawings in the form of a sketch, saturations or gaps, empty surfaces… Keeping the freedom to act until the end, I must be able to change almost everything until the last minute. In this sense, a figuration too realistic or too neat would be a limitation for me.

Drawings scribbled on a wall, ex-voto, profiles of characters inspired from popular culture… ostensibly figurative subjects are associated with abstract geometric or organic patterns, producing a telescoping effect to complexify its reading.

‘Pompeii’ is inspired by Pompeii’s ancient mosaics and street paintings. Hand painted signs of a street food shop recently discovered in Pompeii fascinated me. The dramatic remains of the fate of the city mixed with these paintings so full of life is very moving to me. The chaotic mix of subjects evokes this explosion of a powerful tragedy. The cooking world is also a subject I’m particularly drawn to, because of its sensuality.

I enjoy painting raw meats, garlic, peppers… Visceral foods that can be found at a street-market, and which evokes mixed feelings of violence yet fascinating beauty and abundance.