Galerie Durst

Laurent, can you introduce yourself in a few words ?

I am a draftsman, painter, and engraver.

How did art come into your life?

From early childhood, I developed a passion for drawing. That passion has never left me.

What are your sources of inspiration?

During walks in the forest, I observe the natural elements around me. Seeing the light of the sky filter through the tree branches is an endless source of inspiration.

I often work in the studio while listening to music. My musical choices are very eclectic and vary greatly depending on the time of day. Listening to Green Day, The Doors, Tom Waits, or Nick Cave might be followed by Bach or Philip Glass. Music strongly influences the way I work and gives me a wonderful energy. In my family, I am surrounded by musicians, which surely has an impact on my work. I believe there is a sense of musicality in the composition of my paintings, with their intervals, silences, and rhythms…

Could you describe your creative process, from the conception to the realization of a work?

Drawing remains at the heart of my creative process. But explaining or describing a process would be reductive. The act of creation must retain an element of mystery. Moreover, the creative process is in constant transformation, and each work feeds on the one before it and prepares the one that will follow.

What role does color play in your artistic work?

In my studio, I have a small cabinet where I keep my jars of pigments. Before I start painting, I take out about ten jars and arrange them in a certain order, letting myself be carried away by their pure chromatic vibration. Then I combine them and mix them with binders. At the moment, I feel like building with dominant reds.

How would you define your style and artistic universe?

My visual language draws its inspiration from the world of plants. At times, my work can also take on more mineral or organic qualities.

I define my style as non-figurative. It’s a bit like a balancing act between figuration and abstraction. I really enjoy allowing the viewer to propose their own interpretation by projecting their personal visions.

Since your last exhibition at the Durst Gallery in May 2021, would you say that your style has evolved? If so, in which direction would you like it to go?

Since the last exhibition at the Gallery, my work has been moving toward greater clarity, simplicity, and lightness. I find it very stimulating not to have a precise image of the direction my research is taking. I progress little by little, guided by successive intuitions.

Is there a message or emotion you hope to convey through your work?

My painting carries no message. Shapes and colors convey emotions. Which ones? I couldn’t define them, that is the work of the poet.

Y Have there been artists who have particularly influenced you throughout your career? If so, which ones, and in what way?

The work of Matisse, Miró, Cézanne, Rothko, Hantaï, Calder, and Serra moves me deeply. I also read artists’ writings and correspondence with great pleasure; for me, it’s a way to understand them a little better. It is often very inspiring.

Could you share with us a defining moment in your artistic career so far?

In 2016, I undertook a year of training in intaglio printmaking. Drawing on different materials, such as zinc, helped my drawing practice evolve.

Do you have any future artistic projects?

Many.

What would you say to an artist just starting out today? What advice would you give to a young painter?

Work tirelessly.

The Day the Rain Will Come

I wasn’t very familiar with this song, but the chorus came back to me while I was working on my latest drawings.

It’s the title of a song that my father used to hum.

For several years, my work has drawn its inspiration from the world of plants. Gradually, it has taken on a non-figurative appearance, organized around a joyful proliferation.

I shape and place masking tape as if they were the first brushstrokes on the canvas, reserving the silent white areas.

Drawing precedes painting: I remain open to being immersed in colorful sensations. I spray colored rains that slowly seep between the tapes, filling the surfaces like countless tiny vessels. The Day the Rain Will Come is that magical moment when droplets of color make the gaps of the bare paper visible.