Introduction

In this introduction, I will be talking about my interests and I will try to clarify what I want my project to be. It is always challenging to express what my art is about and what is behind it. I have an idea on the direction I would like my art practice to take, but I am opened to any possibilities of evolution within my work and/or interests.

I would say my areas of interest are the sixties; the hippie movement; the nature; the old ways of living without all our new technologies. I am attracted to the authentic aspect of things, I find great qualities to old and simple objects or elements, it gives it charm. It is contradictory at the same time, because I am also interested about the artificial paradises.

I really enjoy the psychedelic art and it’s ‘distortions’. The ‘altered realities’ are a fascinating topic with infinite possibilities. It is the aesthetic and more ‘visual’ side of psychedelic art that I appreciate the most; the shapes; the patterns; the colours… But also, its strong relationship to an alternative lifestyle.

I can maybe qualify my art as being ‘graphical’ in a way. My art seems to be a bit ‘troubled’, I tend to create obsessive patterns. A sort of fallen utopia is being translated through my creations.

I wish a big return to our roots within society. Something to do with simplicity: I feel like nowadays, everything is so complex, people are focused on futile aspects of life.

I am planning to use the ceramic workshop and the print room in order to physically experiment the concept of ‘distortion’, make loads of tries, studies and medium experiments.

My starting point is finding ideas, inspiration. I need to read and reflect on other artist’s art and concepts. I would like to learn more about the sixties’ period and its art.

There is a wide range of literature concerning the 60’s art. Here is a non-exhaustive list of books I would consider reading and that are relevant to my research topic:

• Art & the 60’s: This was Tomorrow, 2004
• Electric Banana: Masters of Psychedelic Art, 2011
• The 60’s communes: Hippies and Beyond, 1999
• Summer of Love: Psychedelic Art, Social Crisis and Counterculture in the 1960s, 2005

I would also like to read and study French writers from the XIX and XX Century like Charles Baudelaire or Guillaume Appolinaire. I believe they are relevant authors in the measure in which they also broached the narcotics’ subject during their time. Beaudelaire was notably part of the ‘Club des Hashishins’ (Parisian intellectual club in which the recreational use of substances such as hashish or opium were being experienced.)

That is the primary plan of my research process. I do not intend to label or categorise my work, I just want to fill my mind with inspiration and other artist’s experiences. I have many ideas popping up in my head, I now need to canalise everything and start making. I will be more precise about my project in an upcoming blog entry.