Tag: Juxtapoz

Thinkspace Projects is excited to host the debut North American solo exhibition from ABYS (aka Julien Brouand) out of France. ‘Oneiria’ will showcase 17 new acrylic paintings from the celebrated French street artist.

Known for his striking public murals and technical graffiti roots, ABYS has transitioned his signature larger-than-life characters onto delicate gallery mediums for ‘Oneiria.’ This special exhibit offers an intimate look at the evolution of ABYS’s illustrative mythology and his intricate narrative universe, populated by an expressive gallery of wacky, stylized characters that bridge modern animation with contemporary art.

Our interview with ABYS shares his most memorable moment that has influenced his artistic journey, explains his creative process and recurring themes/subjects, and reveals his most unexpected inspiration he would like to pursue.

• What motivated or inspired the collection you’re presenting in this exhibition?

« Oneiria » is a small journey on the border between reality and the world of dreams. Each painting evokes an idea of travel, of movement, like an odyssey inspired by the existing world, to which I bring my own more imaginary vision.

From the desert to the depths of the sea, through the jungle and more fantastical lands, I tried to explore a wide range of ideas in order to offer an experience that is rich and varied.

• Could you walk us through your creative process from conception to completion of a piece?

I don’t really have a specific process. I try to find a way to make different elements that I find interesting, either visually or symbolically, coexist harmoniously.

I have a lot of sketchbooks filled with bits and pieces of ideas here and there, and a lot of unfinished things. When I need inspiration, I flip through them, pick things out, take fragments of ideas I had at some point, and look for a way to complete and improve them until I have a coherent whole.

Often, I start a painting with a general foundation and then add details as I go, because new ideas come to me while I’m painting.

• Are there any recurring themes or symbols in your paintings? If so, what do they represent to you?

In general, my painting is inspired by organic forms. I like natural shapes, and I love the beauty and diversity of the animal and plant world. It offers an almost infinite variety of possibilities and combinations. It’s incredibly rich in terms of textures, compositions, shapes, colors, etc.

I also have a lot of plants at home, so I have these little plant characters that have become recurring elements in my work. I like being able to give them a visual expression. In general, I like the idea that everything can become alive in my paintings. Even objects can become living and expressive, and can help complete the narrative.

• Can you share a particularly memorable moment or experience that influenced your artistic journey?

I’ve always drawn. My father passed that on to me from a very young age. It’s silly, but at school, it didn’t really seem like being good at drawing was much of an asset for succeeding.

As a child, I was always a little ashamed of being good at nothing but drawing. And then I remember that when I was 10, I won a drawing competition that gave my whole family the opportunity to go on a trip. I wouldn’t say that it directly influenced my path, but I think the pride my family felt at that moment encouraged me to invest myself 100% in this direction, even if it meant not following the typical academic path.

• Are there any specific artists, movements, or periods in art history that have significantly influenced your work?

I’ve always admired the work of Mucha, Schiele, Émile Friant — who is more local to me — and many others, but they aren’t necessarily direct influences on my work. I’ve always been more inspired by illustrators, animators, character designers and other creators from that world. To be honest, I still have a hard time considering myself an artist.

When I was younger, I used to skateboard in a place where there was a lot of graffiti. Over time, I realized that I wasn’t very good at skateboarding, but that I could draw. Naturally, I became interested in mural painting. At the time, I was heavily influenced by Nychos, the drawings of Darkelixir, Skio, Dulk, Etam Cru, Arsek & Erase, and many others.

• In what ways does your cultural background or personal identity inform your artistic perspective?

When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a character designer for video games or animated films. I wanted to be able to bring my characters to life, imagine worlds, etc. I started studying with that idea in mind, but nowadays, the work is mostly done on computers, and sitting behind a screen all day wasn’t making me happy.

At the same time, I met some graffiti artists and started spending my days outside, painting. I had never imagined that it could become a job, but things became more serious and I eventually started making a living from it.

So obviously, you can still find my first loves, animation and illustration, in my work. Since I can’t actually animate them, I try to make them as lively and dynamic as possible, and I incorporate as many elements as I can to create a narrative.

• If you could collaborate with any artists in any sort of medium (i.e. movies, music, painting) who would you collaborate with, and what would you be making?

Musically, I don’t have any particular artist in mind, but I would have loved to develop a visual universe and create characters for a musician, like Jamie Hewlett did with Gorillaz.

I have the 20th anniversary Art Book, and I would also have loved to simply have the opportunity to create a cover in my own universe.

I also particularly like everything that Label 619 does, an independent French label for artists. I’m not a writer or a storyteller, but if I found the right person to collaborate with, making comics is something I would love to do one day.

•  How do you approach the naming of your pieces, and what significance do titles hold for you?

It’s always a difficult choice for me. I try to paint scenes that are evocative while also leaving room for interpretation. Giving a painting a title that is too explicit can limit that freedom of interpretation. So I try to choose a title that evokes an idea or a feeling, without restricting everyone’s imagination.

• Do you find yourself drawn to certain subjects or scenes repeatedly? If so, why?

As I mentioned earlier, and for many reasons, I’ve always been drawn to the living world, animal and botanical subjects, etc.

But more than the subjects themselves, what matters to me is sharing joyful and lively scenes. I think we live in a very complex world and, on my own small scale, bringing a little bit of joy into it is an act of resistance, in opposition to what is imposed on us every day.

• If your paintings had a soundtrack, what kind of music would we hear while viewing them?

I listen to music every day, from morning to night. I have very eclectic tastes, and it has a huge influence on what I draw. I grew up with metal and classical music. When I discovered graffiti, I became interested in hip-hop, which then led me to jazz, and so on. So the soundtrack would change from one scene to another.

I remember that when I was a child, I also spent entire days redrawing Iron Maiden album covers. I think that’s what gave me a taste for the art of detail.

Basically, I need a variety of musical environments in order to create diverse work myself.

• What’s the weirdest or most unexpected inspiration you’ve ever drawn from for a painting?

I have a six-year-old daughter. I’ve never encouraged her to draw, because I already spend my life drawing. When I have time to spend with her, I simply want to enjoy doing something else together.

But she grew up watching me draw and, without me ever teaching her anything, she became passionate about drawing. Right now, she makes the best drawings in the world, at least for me.

There is a sincerity, naivety and authenticity that only a child can have. I would like to make a series of drawings with her, just for myself, as a memory for later, before that disappears. Because right now, she is the one who has the best inspiration.