Mika, painting in 3 Dimensions

Ephémère, Oil on canvas, 91cm x 122cm

Richard Thibault, also known as Mika, was born in Montréal in 1963. His work handles abstract art and hyper-realistic representations, reproducing faithfully classic themes as wild-life, landscapes or portraits, sublimating them with bright colors and abstract art technics.

He explored multiple technics as oil painting, watercolor, pastel and even color pencils during his youth, but quickly adopts aerography or air brushing as his favorite technic at a time when most of pictures were manually printed and edited.

As a multi-disciplinary artist, Mika began to produce small creations for a recognized advertising studio which allow him to become a freelance artist as soon as he was 18, working as an illustrator and air brush expert. Thanks to networking, independently from his job, he also illustrated some book tales, realized drawings for various advertising companies, etc. The advent and then wide-spread use of digital technologies although made the illustration demand decrease. That’s why in 2009-2010 the artist decided to develop his relation to art and updated his actual knowledge of contemporary art by visiting some galleries and museums as well as studying theoretical books, which helped him enhance his technic.

All this work results in a mastered combination of abstract art and hyper-realistic technics, realized with an approach of bright colors and movement which gives the whole a very personal touch.

Frénésie, oil on canvas, 91cm x 122cm

Rebelle, oil on canvas, 91cm x 122cm 

The artist is now testing a new technic, allowing to paint some images one can then visualize in 3D with the help of shutter glasses. He is systematically working with a main character edited on Photoshop to correct color and exposure and then copying it. This process, according to the artist, is letting some incidental part to happen; resulting in a creation always deviated from the initial idea. After the painting has been composed, he sketches it on a canvas and highlights the background shapes, in order to enhance them, with a palette knife and brush; a technic directly influenced by abstract art. He gives birth to the main character by applying oil painting in sepia-shades, playing with transparency and blackened color to create his own lights and shadow combination. The 3D effect is capture with brush, wearing shutter glasses. Finally, the composition is varnished and harmonized to avoid superfluous reflection.

Le soldat, Huile sur panneau de bois, 61cm x 91cm

La balerine, oil on canvas, 92 cm X 92 cm

The 3D technic lies in the Anaglyphs: the artist gives relief to an image by adjusting two dedicated filters in front of the audience’s eyes. The process is based on the stereoscopic effect our brain is producing, using the gap between the eyes to visualize in relief. Like the technic for the 3D movies, the brain has to calculate the binocular interval to capture all the illustration details when the audience is putting the glasses on. Anyone can noticed the artist is frequently using primary colors as red, blue, yellow but also green, as they in fact send fake signals to the eye. Indeed, the eye is capturing images in backward: the 3D sensation is only the misleading effect of the color, giving the creation its depth. Consequently, the experience needs the two eyes to send those fake signals to the synapse retina which thereafter send the info to the brain for decrypting.

Lévitation, oil on canvas, 91cm x 152cm

Mika has kindly sent me one of those special glasses and some of his canvas printings so I could appreciate the effect of changing to 3D, which is outstanding. As a matter of fact, the subject – which is already aesthetically pleasant without the glasses – takes on another dimension and nearly comes to life, as if it was jumping out of the frame. But maybe the most incredible aspect of the technic lies in a perfect and accurate rendering. Contrary to what we can expect through our actual experience with 3D movies, the picture is clear whether you wear the glasses or not, which allows to discover the image in a complete new way. The 3D felt like the character was independent from its background and support. Like a mirage, the image seems both unreachable but nearby the audience, giving the impression one could explore it more intimately. This is a totally fascinating experience and I strongly advise the reader to try, as those kinds of glasses can easily be found.

Once you got your glasses, visit the artist website, print one of his creation and put the glasses on. You won’t believe it !

 http://www.mescreationsartistiques.com/

Raphaël Bouyer, painter of consequences

Conséquence,  Sans titre, oil on canvas, 116x79 cm

Raphaël Bouyer is a young visual artist from Toulouse region, South of France. He is realizing mostly oil paintings, drawing powerful but disconcerting subjects in a surprisingly realistic way. The artist is staging natural or unatural disasters, results of an over-consuming society that has sinking in materialistic consideration, in a timeless and glorified composition. His canvases are contrasting and materializing the denunciation of our current mortiferous approach of the world. When you go through Raphaël Bouyer work, you are exposed to trains that are knocked over, pipes scattered in natural landscapes, to car accidents, dozens of tires spread out in the sea, to some ruins of cities lost in waves or to characters in CBN suits. All representations seem like captured in gorgeous natural frames as if they were photographs of a unique moment. These combinations appeal to different imaginaries and excite the curiosity of the audience with their both surprising and unnatural aspect. Each creation has a very powerful and specific sense of narration to make the audience aware of the event happening. The audience is enthralled to imagine the story behind each strange scene and to think about the poetic aspect of these disasters. His works lead us to dream but also frighten us about the ambition of a terrible civilization overwhelmed by the magnificent and all-mighty nature. 

Conséquences, Sans titre, oil on canvas,100x82 cm

 

 Conséquences,  sans titre, oil on canvas, 50x70 cm

Could you briefly tell us about your artistic path?

I started painting when I was 16 years old, I took oil painting lessons with Jeremy Annett in Toulouse for 7 years. I began to be thrilled by the technic at this very moment – although I have drawn since my childhood. That’s why I naturally engaged in an applied/plastic art formation in the Beaux Arts school after having graduated from high school. I also follow some painting workshops at the Slade summer school of London in 2011. However, I have never been particularly keen on the way art school are teaching and quickly stayed away from the academic process. I felt my work deviated from the current trends, so I decided in 2012 to forge my own career path, learning from diverse documentations to become a professional painter/artist. This choice was really well received as I won the Toulouse art competition in February 2013 along with the Golden Palm. It paved the way for some exhibition opportunities, especially during the same competition the year after.

 Ordinary lives, La chasse au papillon, oil on canvas, 100x100 cm

 

  La partie de pêche, oil on canvas, 130x89 cm

Could you detail the technics you like working with?

My canvases are all realized with oil painting and my drawings are composed with pencil and pen on paper.

Hiroshima mon amour,oil on canvas, 92x65cm

I could notice some repetitive topics in your creations as trains or people in CBN suits, surrounded by nature background: what are they depicting to you? Furthermore your canvases often show a post-apocalyptic world: is this a way to warn audience about the global environmental concern or just a personal appropriation of a specific universe?

I don’t really like the time we are living in. I always got the feeling to be in this fast-paced environment I can’t follow and I’m not free to express whatever I want. I feel pretty out of this system and I trust it is the sensation emanating from my creations. The chosen setting in my paintings illustrated a world I have fantasized about and idealized. The enhanced landscapes or the chilled scenarios are constantly in contrast – even in conflict situation sometimes – with specific patterns that could evoke about disasters resulting from bad environmental management or over-consuming behaviors. This confrontation can indeed show a post-apocalyptic approach but it is for sure resulting from my personal inner conflict.

Ordinary lives, Les jumeaux, oil on canvas, ,100x73 cm

Ordinary lives, Pêche en eaux troubles, oil on canvas, 116x81 cm

 

How do you chose topics you want to expose? What is the paradigm you want to pass on the audience?

I chose my themes depending on the news, for instance trains accidents. I extract them from their actual context and arrange them in a visual and dynamic way. Even if there is definitely a dark side in my compositions, I try to bring irony to the subjects by staging the ludicrous aspects of the situation and highlighting it. I like to think my creations call out the audience curiosity and make it questioning of what could have happened. Keeping a part of mystery is important. Of course, one could see a manner to highlight a societal ecological dimension which kind of reflect my personal thinking and reflection but I want the spectator to feel free interpretating my works.

Conséquences, Sans titre, oil on canvas, 80x80 cm

 

 Conséquences, Sans titre, oil on canvas, 80x80 cm

 

How does the artistic creation influence our social behavior according to you?

The art is a form of language, a way to communicate emotions and I think the art creation is indeed influencing our social behavior. It provokes questions, a reflection on the world that surround us and sometimes help to better understand it. I would say the art creation is steeped in society and the society is steeped in art creation (or at least, should be considered as such). The artistic creation allows a person to better understand one self and what is happening around us, the world we live in.

Ordinary lives, La grande déprime, oil on canvas, 80x80 cm

 

 Ordinary lives, La décision, oil on canvas, 100x100 cm

What are the main artists, themes and trends you take inspiration of?

I don’t really drg my influences by other artists or at least not that I am aware of. Actually, I don’t really think about it, the inspiration is here, that’s all. If I have to make reference to an artist I may particularly like, it would be Romain Bernini, because I am fascinated by his universe, especially by the color and atmosphere he uses. His character representation and uncommon staging helped me to build-up the figure of the men in CBN suits. Of course I also visited lots of museum and saw many exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, which, I believe could have influenced my work in a way.

Ordinary lives,  La trace, oil on canvas, 72x100 cm

 

Série l'avatar, Waterworld, oil on canvas, 80x80 cm

Would you like to mention any previous or in-progress work in particular?

I strongly hope for associations, groups and communities support and art gallery partnerships to enhance my career in the near future. I will be exhibiting some of my works in September 2015 and I keep looking for art galleries that could be interesting as well as I network a lot within the artistic domain. I also participate in a project called Ardera which goal is to present on a website my works with an associated-music made by two friends of mine.

 Conséquences, Sans titre, oil on canvas, 100x100 cm

In his paintings, Raphaël Bouyer is materializing a unique pictural universe where fantasized disasters are consequences of the underlying loss of balance between culture and nature. The artist thus creates an intense iconography, pushing for individual reflection on the world we are living in, leading to a very actual questioning. This approach directly echoes some of his peers, striking the audience’s eyes by the aesthetic aspect of his canvases but also thanks to their mysterious and uncommon side. I would strongly advise the reader to take a look at Raphaël Bouyer’s website and learn more about his work. 

http://www.raphaelbouyer.com/

JF-iNk, Street Art offspring

Wisdom, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmarker, 35x50 cm

JF-iNk is a multi-disciplinary painter, mixing-up several technics, from stencil calligraphy to dripping. The topics he is working with are numerous and diversified, stemmed from his very rich personal universe. The combination between realistic and abstract art makes his work remarkably appealing as he is mastering all these technics with consistency but also spontaneity.

His graphic and stunning canvases are naturally referring to Street Art movement. However, even if the artist is obviously inspired by this trend, his creations are not subject to the street hazards and the subsequent short life expectancy of a piece of art displayed on a public wall. Indeed, he is carrying out his works in a studio and exposes his art in galleries.

JF-iNk works are revealing in some extent a reflection from their apparent naïve fluidity: they are actually conveying a fresh and spontaneous feeling, although they are clearly  made with thoroughness.  

The eye, scratch card, 50x65 cm

Could you tell us briefly about your artistic path ?

I am a self-taught painter; I actually did not recieve any training or follow any workshop. I am just passionate about art and I have self-educated myself for the past 15 years. I began with tagging in the streets but I quickly choose to use paper, pencil and ink as mediums. Thereafter, I started to be more and more interested by painting, which became my main working medium. Nevertheless, I don’t want to be limited in any area because I like stirring together different technics and customize objects.

Mega munny, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmaker 

Would you define yourself as a Street Artist ?

I would not qualify myself as a Street Artist because I don’t practice in the streets. I see myself more as Street Art offspring as all my compositions are strongly related to Street Art technics and patterns. I actually prefer being in a studio so I can have time to think about my next creation and to plan how I would do it. Still, the streets are attracting me because of the giant format and the possibilities that could not be reached in a studio.

Share, acrylique, spraypaint, paintmaker, 50x70 cm

Are you getting inspiration from specific artists or artistic trends ?

Like said previously, I take most of my inspiration from Street Art. Concerning the artists, lots of names come to my mind but I think that the artists from the "9ème concept" have certainly  impressed me the most. Their manners of expressing themselves in such different ways but still with consistency, push me to keep practicing my art the way I do. Thus, I am consistently testing divergent technics from one another like ink (my first medium – hence my pseudo “JF-iNk”), drawing, traditional painting, typography and stencil. It is by looking at C215’s work 3 years ago that I get keen on practicing stencil technic. I did not perform an extraordinary job as for my first tentatives so I quickly gave up my first idea of a multi-layers stencil application and kept the single-layer as my preferred technic. One of its big advantages is that I can easily materialize the portrait global shape as a base to then be more spontaneous in the contrast and color arrangement. In a whole other frame, one of my favorite artists of the moment is Bruno Leyval who masters ink painting.

Less is More..., liner on artbook A3

Could you detail the technics you like working with ?

Most of my drawing are subsequently refine by computer. I use a graphic tablet to shape the main drawing’s lines and depending the height, I print the result or I draw them again on 200g paper. After waiting for few hours, I cut the main portrait form, apply the different background layers and colors. I varnish/gloss the whole by adding shadows and lights, thanks to acrylic paint, that give some depth to the drawing. All the process can be seen on my Vimeo profile: jf-ink stencils.

 Blackbook P1, paint liner on artbook, 14x14 cm

Blackbook P2, paint liner on artbook, 14x14 cm

Do your portraits just originate from your imagination or from pictures ?

All my portraits are photographs-inspired. If I find a picture that I like, I can create a stencil from it. By the way, I recently began to work with some friends of mine that are photographers. They are realizing gorgeous portraits and we have several common exhibition projects.  

Crying colors, acrylique, spaypaint, paintmarker, 50x100 cm

I noticed you let a great place to contrasts in your works, in both a matter of exposure and colors. Is this taking on a special importance to you ?

Indeed, I like to privilege contrasts in my paintings. I especially enjoy playing with shadows and lights to give the portrait some depth. I value the black and white format but I prefer to use bursting colors. A single-layer portrait  with stencil is very flat so the depth helps to bring it to life.

Behind blue eyes, acrylic, spraypaint, paintmarker, 140x200 cm

Do you have special projects you would like to mention?

I am currently participating to the Peace Helmet Project, supported by Wayne Anthony (the author of Class of 88’) and LSD (London Street-art Design) magazine. The project consists into turning an object suggesting violence in a positive art object. In that case, 25 anti-riot helmets will be painted by different artists (Best/Ever, Mr. Cenz, Dmark, My Dog Sighs, Stick…) to express each other point of view on this matter. The results will be displayed during an exhibition in London in the next few months. Through the help of an association in Quimper (France) named Trust in my art, I could also participate in 2014 in a collective charity exhibition : Safety Art, aimed for Hawaii children.

Concerning my future personal projects, I am planning a solo-exhibition in “My Première Galerie” (My First Galery), which is a contemporary-oriented art gallery in Quimper, starting Nov 29th 2014. In parallel, we are thinking with a friend of mine making portrait photographs to put together a performance confronting our medium.

Beauty, acrylic, spraypaint, paintmarker, 100x100 cm

JF-iNk’s use of colors and contrast approach is really in very original compositions he creates. Even if his professional career is somewhat recent (started in 2012), I foresee a very bright future for him. His unique visual universe deserves all reader’s attention and I strongly advise to take a look at the artist website.

 http://www.jf-ink.com/