SYLVAIN LOUIS-SEIZE “CONTINUUM”
SYLVAIN LOUIS-SEIZE
‘CONTINUUM’
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SYLVAIN LOUIS-SEIZE IN HIS STUDIO IN CALGARY, ALBERTA 4
SYLVAIN LOUIS-SEIZE “My new works are more than an aesthetic experience of dynamic, beautifully crafted paintings, it is discourse on the nature of change. They evoke a sense of transition, stories in themselves about life and all its intricacies. Taking time to look and decipher them, reveals as much about the viewer as the work itself.” When success came ultimately and suddenly for artist Sylvain Louis-Seize (b. Montreal, 1968) in 2005, he left his construction job of 18 years and rode a wave that allowed him to paint full time. Exhibitions of his rich landscapes derived from an active imagination sold out to eager collectors. In 2019, Louis-Seize emerged from a period of reflection and experimentation that lasted two years, to present a group of dazzling abstract canvases rooted in his past street art experiences. Each used overlapping, flat brilliantly coloured shapes selected and arranged like a puzzle in a measured process requiring patience, introspection. The artist’s process of creation begins with “a lot of trial and error” on mini canvases that he cuts up and reassembles. The elements of the chosen image are then digitized and loaded onto a tablet where he juggles the pieces again swapping out colours, lines, patterns. The final digital image is printed to acetate and projected onto a canvas where he traces it and begins to paint with deliberate care. Using air brush, soft brush and rollers with specialized tapes he arrives at the finished work. These new pictures themselves become theory, a kind of discourse and not merely a beautiful objects that we justify with language, there is so much more going on in his paintings. Louis-Seize's artwork including large scale commissions are held in private and corporate collections in the UK, the US, Canada, Asia and Europe. « Le succès artistique est venu de manière si soudaine et spontanée pour l’artiste Sylvain Louis-Seize (né à Montréal en 1968) en 2005 qu’il a du quitter une carrière de 18 ans dans le domaine de la construction afin de pouvoir se consacrer à son art à temps complet. Son imaginaire coloré est à la source des paysages riches que l’ont peut voir lors de ses expositions très courues par les collectionneurs avides de ses oeuvres. » En 2019, Louis-Seize sort d'une période de réflexion et d'expérimentation qui s’est étalée sur deux ans pour présenter un ensemble de toiles abstraites absolument éblouissantes enracinées dans les expériences qu’il a vécues avec les arts de la rue. Chacune utilisait des formes superposées, plates et brillamment colorées, sélectionnées et disposées comme un puzzle dans un processus mesuré nécessitant patience et introspection. Le processus de création de l'artiste commence par «beaucoup d'essais et d'erreurs» sur des mini toiles qu'il découpe et réassemble. Les éléments de l'image choisie sont ensuite numérisés et chargés sur une tablette où il jongle avec les pièces en échangeant à nouveau couleurs, lignes, motifs. L'image numérique finale est imprimée sur acétate et projetée sur une toile où il la trace et commence à peindre avec un soin délibéré. En utilisant un aerographe, une brosse douce et des rouleaux avec des bandes collantes spécialisées, il arrive au travail fini. Ces nouvelles images deviennent elles-mêmes une théorie, une sorte de discours et non pas simplement de beaux objets que nous justifirons par le langage, il y a beaucoup plus à retenir et découvrir dans ses toiles. Les oeuvres de Louis-Seize se retrouvent maintenant dans les collections privées ou collectives dans de nombreux pays que ce soit en Angleterre, aux États-Unis, au Canada en Asie ou en Europe. » 5
A CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTIST….. 1) What was the inspiration for calling the show “Continuum”?
This series is a natural evolution for me from all of my work. My innate need to create since childhood has lead to this series which is a sequence in which adjacent elements are not perceptibly different from each other, therefore a Continuum. On the surface these pieces may not seem like a natural evolution in my work but they all contain very similar themes or an ongoing thematic of struggle, joy, loss and overcoming adversity; universal themes that connect us all. 2) You have such a distinct painting style. How did you come about to discovering it?
I’ve always played with colour. Colour has always been a bridge to my emotions and has always meant more than just a shade of want they represented. Adding shape, depth and meaning over time created a conduit for me to capture my experience and emotions through various medium. Art is about taking chances, a leap of faith, experimenting and probably most importantly failing and learning from it. I’ve learned more from my failures than success. 3) At what moment in life did you realize your calling was to be an artist?
For me professionally, it happen later in life when I had my first artwork hanging in a gallery and I had a chance to experience first hand how people connected to it. In that moment, when I saw how I could build connection through art, I knew I could do this professionally. 4) What other artists inspire you. Past and present?
I have many inspirations including: Gerhard Richter, JMW Turner, Claude Tousignant, Kaws, Mickalene Thomas, Julian Schnabel, Anselm Kiefer and Sarah Morris to name a few. There are so many inspirations out there. Various and many. 6
5) There has been a strong shift in the role of social media in an artists career. Truly there are many positives associated with self promotion, but do you think there are any drawback to self promoting on social media?
There can be. Social media has been a great source of creating access for so many. Democratizing art has so many benefits but for the artist itself, it depends on how you seek validation. Putting representations of yourself out there for both praise and criticism can influence an artists and an artists work both positively and negatively. 6) The art scene in Canada is such small one compared to the US or Europe. Do you find there is a sense of camaraderie amongst emerging artists and how does it benefit you?
When I first emerged as a professional artist it was on Queen Street West in Toronto in 20042005. Looking back it was such a great time to be an artist in ‘the gallery district’ where there was such a buzz at that time. There were so many new galleries and upcoming artist in the community that we mingled/socialized and fed off each other’s artistic creativity and energy. Many of whom I still connect with today even though I now live out west. I have been fortunate that each time I meet fellow artists, they have been generous of their time and learnings. Otto Rogers taught me about discipline, Paul Beliveau about the business side of art, Bobbie Burgers about the creative side. I’ve always found my fellow artists to be generous with their time and wisdom and I try to pay it forward.
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Allegory no. XX , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 60” x 96” 8
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(In Situ) Allegory no. XX , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 60” x 96” 10
(Detail) Allegory no. XX , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 60” x 96” 11
Allegory no. XXV , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 84” 12
(Details) Allegory no. XXV , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 84” 13
Allegory no. XII , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 24”dia. 14
Allegory no. XIII , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 24”dia. 15
Allegory no. XIX , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 16
Allegory no. XVIII , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 17
Allegory no. XXIV , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 18
Allegory no. XXI , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas 60” dia. 19
Allegory no. XXII , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 20
Allegory no. VI , 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 21
Allegory no. II, 2020. Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 48” x 48” 22
Untitled III, 2021 Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 18” x 18”
Unititled I, 2021 Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 19” x 16”
Untitled II, 2021 Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 18” x 18”
Unititled IV, 2021 Acrylique sur toile / Acrylic on canvas. 19” x 16”
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Published by DURAN | MASHAAL www.duranmashaalgallery.com