French artist Lucile Gauvain's latest exhibition, "HAUT LES CŒURS!", seeks to bridge the gap between medieval and contemporary life through a unique blend of surreal and fantastical imagery. The show presents vivid mise-en-scènes that conjure up surreal visions of tapestry where reality and imagination are constantly renegotiated.
At its core, Gauvain's work is an exploration of memory, melancholy, and the pressures of daily life. Drawing from personal experiences of anxiety and loss, she uses medieval imagery to parse contemporary issues such as the fragility of human resilience in the face of ecological, political, economic, and humanitarian crises.
Gauvain's artistic practice draws inspiration from film sets, particularly those with a fantastical, non-naturalistic universe. Her use of medieval and early Renaissance art forms serves to underscore the narrative, adding depth and meaning to the contemporary characters she portrays.
In "HAUT LES CŒURS!", Gauvain confronts her anxieties about death head-on, employing a jubilant skeleton as a central figure in many of her works. This personification of Death serves not only as a representation but also as a symbol of reassurance and comfort.
The show's title, "HAUT LES CŒURS!", translates to "lift your hearts!" - a phrase meant to encourage viewers to find solace in the beauty of art amidst life's hardships. Through her work, Gauvain seeks to create a sense of community, inviting viewers into the medieval imagery and contemporary tableau.
Gauvain works primarily with colored pencil, a medium that she finds both accessible and expressive. The soft, intimate quality of this medium allows her to convey a range of emotions and sensations, from childhood nostalgia to adult introspection.
Ultimately, "HAUT LES CŒURS!" is an exhibition about the human experience - our struggles, fears, and hopes. It is an invitation to immerse ourselves in Gauvain's world, where medieval and contemporary collide in a celebration of life, resilience, and the power of art to uplift us all.
At its core, Gauvain's work is an exploration of memory, melancholy, and the pressures of daily life. Drawing from personal experiences of anxiety and loss, she uses medieval imagery to parse contemporary issues such as the fragility of human resilience in the face of ecological, political, economic, and humanitarian crises.
Gauvain's artistic practice draws inspiration from film sets, particularly those with a fantastical, non-naturalistic universe. Her use of medieval and early Renaissance art forms serves to underscore the narrative, adding depth and meaning to the contemporary characters she portrays.
In "HAUT LES CŒURS!", Gauvain confronts her anxieties about death head-on, employing a jubilant skeleton as a central figure in many of her works. This personification of Death serves not only as a representation but also as a symbol of reassurance and comfort.
The show's title, "HAUT LES CŒURS!", translates to "lift your hearts!" - a phrase meant to encourage viewers to find solace in the beauty of art amidst life's hardships. Through her work, Gauvain seeks to create a sense of community, inviting viewers into the medieval imagery and contemporary tableau.
Gauvain works primarily with colored pencil, a medium that she finds both accessible and expressive. The soft, intimate quality of this medium allows her to convey a range of emotions and sensations, from childhood nostalgia to adult introspection.
Ultimately, "HAUT LES CŒURS!" is an exhibition about the human experience - our struggles, fears, and hopes. It is an invitation to immerse ourselves in Gauvain's world, where medieval and contemporary collide in a celebration of life, resilience, and the power of art to uplift us all.