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Extrait de Sans titre 057
2014
Axel Roy
Painting
200 x 260 cm
Oil, marble powder and acrylic on canvas
For the series “Extrait de Sans titre (Extract from Untitled)”, Axel Roy followed a simple protocol: he stood at the corner of different roads or streets and systematically photographed all the people passing in front of his camera during a given time. Afterwards, he chose to almost superhumanly enlarge some characters in paintings to increase their strength and individuality. Their history and personality still remain mysteries since no actual interaction took place.
This series is an ode to crossroads: the infinitely small life sample taken by chance on a road is rendered sublime by the infinitely big. But first and foremost, this hyperbolic gesture showcases the sensuous pleasure of painting and colour.
After a scientific curriculum, Axel Roy turned to the arts and studied at the Beaux-Arts de Dijon, and in Hangzhou and Shanghai, China, where he lived for two years. When he returned, he participated in several exhibitions in France, China, and the Netherlands, where he now lives. In May 2021, he was one of the finalists of the Pierre David-Weill/Institut de France-Académie des Beaux-Arts Prize and the Royal Award for Modern Painting in the Netherlands. At that time, two of his large paintings were displayed at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam for a few months.
The observation of and reflection on human fluxes in public spaces, the relationship to the urban space, and, paradoxically, the void are some of the subjects Axel Roy explores in his drawings, paintings, and performances.
Artwork of
Axel ROY
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