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203 SPECIAL ISSUE beauty than what meets the eye. In my work, women are portrayed not just as role models for other women to emulate, but also as beautiful, multi-faceted human beings. My women are aware, sensitive, mysterious, and at times vulnerable but always strong when it matters. A closer look at my work will reveal a duality layered behind a shadow or a mask. The hidden self, the spirituality, the intellectual curiosity of women are all there to be appreciated by everyone. Yes indeed, my women are rebellious and unruly with outraging hair, dramatic outfits that defy society's norms. They are what they truly are: beautiful women. As the way the thoughtful nuances of Looking Inward and Looking shows that vivacious tones are not strictly indispensable to create tension and dynamics. How did you come about settling on your color palette? And how much does your own psychological makeup determine the nuances of tones you decide to use in a piece of art? A color palette can evoke a wide-range of responses and emotions and sometimes creates a tension. At times my color palette is very bright with vivid colors and sometimes my colors are very muted, this all depends on the mood and composition that I am trying to convey. My psychological make up does play a role in the colors I choose also the mood that I am trying to create will affect in my color choice. believe that colors effects and influences on ones emotions and state of mind. You are a versatile artist and your practice is marked out with such captivating interdisciplinary approach: to quote your words, processes and materials are the vocabulary, and the method of working in a series provides the syntax for your art. Art critic and historian Michael Fried once stated that 'materials do not represent, signify, or allude to anything; they are what they are and nothing more.' What are the properties that you search for in the materials that you combine? And in particular, when do you recognize that one of the mediums has exhausted it expressive potential to self? As an artist I seek versatility not only in the materials that I use, but also in the subject matters I choose to convey. The use of mixed media encourages me to experiment with colors, shades, forms, shapes and textures. There are an infinite number of ways to combine media. I use the materials depending on the effect I am trying to achieve. It can be from oil paints to colored chalk to colored pencils to charcoal, and more. I try to keep an open mind. The medium that I select for a subject matter is not accidental. I let myself fuse new combinations, be allured by innovative techniques, explore materials free of unadulterated substances, or blend together a mixture of materials and colors in an elusive new way. I attempt to discover the endless possibilities that come with mixed media artwork. And at the end, something in me tells me what works best for the art piece Sylviane De Roquebrune eries Contemporary Art Peripheral agazine
SPECIAL ISSUE 204 I am working on. This inner voice that guides me, if you will, is the artist in me. Your artistic practice seems address the viewers to look inside of what appear to be seen, rather than its surface, providing the spectatorship with freedom to realize their own perception: the thoughtful nuances of tones seem to be the tip of the iceberg of the emotions that you are really attempting to communicate. How would you define the relationship between abstraction and figurative in your practice? In particular, how does representation and a tendency towards abstraction find their balance in your work? Art can be literal and concrete – the more representational a work of art is, the easier it is to attribute a meaning to it. I usually start with a recognizable subject matter and a thought or message I would like to convey. Like in life, the true meaning is not always obvious, it is often hidden behind layers and masks, and hence one must look beyond the surface to find it. My use of abstract imparts not only the “not so obvious” but also the emotional, symbolic and spiritual agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries
205 SPECIAL ISSUE Sylviane De Roquebrune eries agazine Contemporary Art Peripheral
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209 SPECIAL ISSUE representations veiled in the figurative rendering. My work is representational at the outset. It is also stylized and abstract where the deeper meanings lie. I definitely want my viewers to look beyond the surface. You have also been an art curator at York University in Toronto and you held the position of Art Education Director in Abu Dhabi working with the development of the Louvre, the Guggenheim and the British Museum. Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco once stated, "the artist’s role differs depending on which part of the world you’re in. It depends on the political system you’re living under". How do you consider the relationship Sylviane De Roquebrune eries Contemporary Art Peripheral agazine
SPECIAL ISSUE 210 between artists and society? Moreover, what could be in your opinion the role of Art in the contemporary age? Having lived in in many different and diverse societies and being exposed to many cultures, political differences and belief systems broadened my way of seeing the world and society. It showed me that with all our differences we all have very similar basic needs, vulnerabilities, and strengths. The role of Art in our contemporary society can express certain values in our culture and be a reflection of the sum total of our humanity. Art in this sense is communication; it allows people from different cultures and different times to communicate with each other. It can also be a vehicle for social changes and a voice for the politically or socially disenfranchised. A painting can rouse emotions and at times inspire people to make changes for example, Picasso’s painting “Guernica “was created in response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque Country village in northern Spain, by Nazi Germany. Picasso’s painting showed the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individual, particularly innocent civilians. Art not only fosters the human need for self-expression and fulfillment; but it can inspire and greatly influence our society. Intuition is a crucial aspect of your practice and as you have remarked in your artist's statement, you cannot anticipate the direction the work might take but it is through the process of making things that you can begin to understand what the subconscious may already have known. how would you consider the relationship between analysis and spontaneity within your work? In particular, how much importance does play improvisation in your process? Everything starts and ends with intuition a creative instinct that, when allowed to breathe freely, feels “like magic”. Intuition is a crucial in my creative process. No artwork is deemed complete unless my inner artistic spirit gleans over the art piece time and time again. Intuition is not simply improvisation or spontaneity. It is my inner creative voice expressing itself. Of course, the cognitive and analytical components play a framework role in my creative process, but ultimately, intuition rules at all time. It took me awhile to fully trust my intuition and liberate my artistic energy flow within me. It was not always easy, as I felt unsure of where it would lead me; I found out that my inner creativity must not be too contained, in order to grow. Besides producing the interesting works that our readers have admired in these pages, you are also an art educator. During your career you have had opportunities to instruct lots of students in Canada, USA and South East Asia: how much does this experience inform your agazine Special Edition Contemporary Art Peripheral eries
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Sylviane De Roquebrune eries agazine Contemporary Art Peripheral 213 SPECIAL ISSUE vision about Art? And in particular, did you ever get inspired from your students In my professional career I learned to embrace a few identities as an artist, a teacher, curator and an art education director. I found that even though I was working within different artistic paths, it all blended very well together and contributed to my growth as an artist. Being a teacher has been mutual learning experience with my students. Teaching continuously inspires and challenges me to question my own progression as an artist. It contributes to my personal artistic growth, which in turn, increases my capacity to mentor and guide my students, and engage myself in more stimulating art works. One of the hallmarks of your practice is the capability to create direct involvement with the viewers, who are urged to evolve from a condition of mere spectatorship. So before leaving this conversation we would like to pose a question about the nature of the relationship of your art with your audience. Do you consider the issue of audience reception as being a crucial component of your decision-making process, in terms of what type of language is used in a particular context? I like to paint with an aesthetic purpose – but more importantly through my work I like to express an idea, convey an emotion or a universal message. One of the purposes of my work is to create beauty. Above all, I strive to bring an awareness of the woman's condition in our society. I like to reach my audience by transmitting ideas and values inherent in every culture. Through my work, I strive to stir conscious and unconscious links with the men and women who view my art. I find that I can best reach my audience by establishing an emotional connection with the viewers. In my work, I outline concepts, break with tradition, and reject the classical notion of beauty. I challenge the viewer to look beyond the surface and reflect on the inner beauty and feelings of women. Thanks a lot for your time and for sharing your thoughts, Sylviane. Finally, would you like to tell us readers something about your future projects? How do you see your work evolving? Thank you so much for affording me the opportunity to be part of the special edition of Peripheral ARTeries Art Review. Quite frankly, I am not sure at this point in my life how my work will unfold in the near future. But as always, I will continue to trust my intuition in doing what I love and what gives joy and meaning to my life. My next project is very much brewing inside of me not sure and I am not sure how it will unfold. An interview by Josh Ryder, curator and Melissa C. Hilborn, curator peripheral.arteries@europe.com