ALAIN DU PONTAVICE

Alain du Pontavice’s ethereal, multi-layered paintings defy categories. Are they Surreal? Symbolist? Abstract? Yes, all of those things, but none of the labels cover the complexity of the work. “When you see a painting exhibition, you should just be open to the impressions; don’t rush to reduce it to a category,” he says. “It’s limiting”.

Growing up in Paris in the 60’s, Alain began drawing at the French Academy, ‘La Grande Chaumière’, and in the Montparnasse studios of artists.

In ‘87 he graduated with an MA in Mandarin Chinese at the University of Paris and moved to Asia seven years later. He lived here for fifteen years and spent his time learning calligraphy and practising Taiji and meditation. At this time, he also worked in textiles using techniques such as ikat, batik and shibori. In 2002, he established himself in South America, where he was captivated by the energy of the Andes.

He started painting abstract art in 2004, revealing sceneries and landscapes with multi-layered backgrounds of oil paint, whether in fine or thick coatings, and often using a mixture of paints and sand. The process he uses has a deep connection with his inner self, exploring the unconscious and allowing the creativity to flow; a practice he nurtured early on with meditation and automatic drawing.

Oil painting fascinates him as a medium and so does the canvas, offering endless possibilities in both the use of colour and texture. The exposure he had whilst he worked in textiles has enriched his perception of colours and the feeling of the canvas construction. The influence of many years living in Asia and South America, absorbing different cultures and techniques, have also enriched the palette and the complexity of his work.

Alain shares now his time between his studios in France and London. He regularly exhibits in the UK and France. His work is in private collections in the UK, USA, Europe and Japan.