VALENTIN VAN DER MEULEN

Presented at the exhibition Classique, “Sans-titre Nuage 03” offers a striking encounter between the softness of clouds and the violence of erasures, a fascinating dialogue between two elements that at first glance, seem to be opposite but are united in one principle: the accident.

By layering images of clouds taken from news photographies, and traces of erasures from his handwritten texts, Valentin van der Meulen creates a new series of works where charcoal and oil painting meet to question the subtleties of the unexpected, the failed and the ephemeral.

Accident of nature, accident of thought, or even accident of perception, the tension is here both visual and emotional to become a ground for reflection on the fragility of our perceptions and our representations, where the accident is not a simple disorder but an opportunity for new interpretation.

 “Sans-titre Nuage 03” offers a new reading of the image: contemplative but tense, serene but disturbing. It poses the question of what is built and what is lost, like an invitation to perceive differently, to reinterpret the chaos of our time through the prism of accidental beauty.

PASCAL VILCOLLET

Pascal Vilcollet has chosen to revisit the theme of the floral bouquet, drawing inspiration from the baroque compositions of the 18th century. This series aligns with his ongoing exploration of classical painting subjects, aiming to engage in a dialogue with the conventions of the past while infusing his own perspective. Through his paintings, Vilcollet seeks to reconnect with an artistic tradition often regarded as outdated — that of floral still life — preserving its opulent and theatrical baroque spirit, but adding a touch of irony.

What particularly interests him is the possibility of a dual reading. From a distance, his canvases appear as lush, abundant bouquets, classical in their figurative composition. Up close, however, the forms become more abstract, unveiling a different language — freer, more spontaneous, and contemporary — that surprises and amuses the viewer.