Edgar Degas was my favourite artist as a
kid and I will forever be mesmerized by his paintings. I particularly like the
impressionist ballerinas he painted, such as this one. The softness and
looseness of his technique combined with the use of blues and cold colours give
a calming and serene atmosphere to this ballet studio and to the painting. I
also love the delicate postures of the dancers, which portray women beautiful.
Lastly, his paintings always remind me of my childhood and my love for painting
and drawing from a very young age.
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Paul
Gauguin – Two
Tahitian Women in Mango Blossoms (1899)
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I have always been fascinated by Paul
Gauguin’s paintings from when he moved to French Polynesia in 1891, as he thought,
“everything was artificial and conventional” in Europe and decided to escape. I
find the expression of these two women to be portrayed very subtly in this
painting. It would imagine they are shy yet generous and independent women. I
also find very effective the use of contrasting colours, and the simple and
flat style of painting.
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Bruno Walpoth
– Should I? (2011)
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This third artist is an Italian
sculptor, named Bruno Walpoth, which I have recently discovered. I usually feel
appealed to human sculptures and these ones are probably some of the most
striking sculptures I’ve ever seen. I find them so expressive and they are
almost too realistic, which makes me feel uncomfortable. I feel like they might
come to life and all want to tell a different story. Bruno Walpoth says that
for him “it is import that the viewers’ gaze does not stop at the surface of
the sculptures but goes beyond the outward realism to capture the inner life of
the work”. The sculptures’ gaze and facial expression is one of the details
that capture me the most and I feel as if I have interrupted a moment of self-reflection.
Finally, I admire how delicate and fragile the wood work is and I love the
discreet and subtle paint work that adds realism while also making them look
surreal, almost like ghosts.
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Yves Saint
Laurent – Fall/Winter
1965 collection sketch
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When I think
of one of my favourite French designers, Yves Saint Laurent is one of the first
that comes to mind. I particularly loved his collections from the 50s and 60s.
This is a sketch from his Fall/Winter 1965 collection that was inspired by
Mondrian and Poliakoff’s abstract paintings. The ‘Mondrian’ dress was said to
be one of the most iconic garments of the 20th century. I personally
love how Saint Laurent incorporated these paintings to create simple yet
striking and timeless dresses. Additionally, I love the almost childish feel to
his sketches enhanced by the witty sentence: ‘Fashion as fantasy in the
swinging sixties’.
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MSGM – Spring/Summer 2011 collection sketch by
Massimo Giorgetti
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Massimo
Giorgetti is the Italian designer who created the brand MSGM. I chose this
sketch he drew for his Spring/Summer 2011 collection as I was intrigued by the
simple yet detailed figure. Fashion designers usually make quick sketches and
this is something that I want to improve on. I love the hair of the model,
which is a simple line, but still lets us imagine a strong and confident woman
wearing this ensemble. I also love how this informative sketch, used to later
on create an outfit could be seen as a creation itself, almost an illustration
that could stand on its own.
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Coco Chanel – photo by Alexander Liberman (1951)
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This is a photograph taken by Alexander
Liberman in the 1950s of Coco Chanel, one of the most famous French designers
to this day. I have always admired Coco Chanel’s avant-garde views on fashion
and her risk taking collection. I think this photograph portray perfectly what
I would imagine her personality like. She is also wearing her own creations,
and one of her iconic ensembles: a tweed jacket and lots of pearls.
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René Gruau
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René Gruau is a French-Italian artist
from the 1950s. His work inspired me to study illustration and experiment with
women’s figures. I particularly love the way he paints with minimalism and lets
the viewer imagine the rest of the picture. This illustration is one of my favourites,
because I love the simple back figure of the woman and how the flowers appear
from behind her. The sketchiness of his work and the cool palette of colours create
a delicate and very feminine image.
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Noémie Cédille – Madrid
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This is an illustration by Noémie Cédille, a French design and
illustrator currently based in Paris. She is fascinated with shape, colour,
material and pattern and her works includes photography, multi-media,
typography and illustration. I chose this specific illustration, as I love how
she accentuated Madrid’s architecture. The bright contrasting colours remind me
of the loud and colourful streets of the city. Nevertheless, her focus on
buildings and some nature also shows the calm and intimate streets of the city,
sometimes deserted and sometimes filled with people.
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Jäger – Marynn
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Finally, Marynn
is young French illustration I recently discovered whose “weapons are her 2B
pencil and a cup of patience”, which enables her to create extremely delicate
and realistic portraits. Here, she portrayed a young girl drinking Jägermeister
(a strong liquor) out of a juice box. I get the impression she wanted to show
how fast children grow up these days and exaggerate the young age at which
teenagers start drinking. I find this effective, and the girls’ innocent and
melancholic expression makes this illustration very touching, while still
adding a touch of dark humour. The limited use of colours adds to her childish
features, such as her bright pink cheeks and her light blue collar.
