A plate with figs

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2024  oil paintings,

The series with figs is a quiet, melancholic reflection on the paths we take in our lives. At the centre of the series stands a plate of these purple fruits. In the image of a couple silently sharing a plate of figs, it seems as if they are discussing - albeit without words - important issues relating to the future of their home, family and well-being. Other works depict a man contemplating a plate of figs with a knife, perhaps dreaming of continuing his line of descendants, or perhaps of another way to succeed, while keeping passion in his life.

 

The core of this series is inspired by the symbolism of the fig, which has many meanings in our culture. Some fig trees bear fruit twice a year, symbolising prosperity and fertility. Legend has it that the basket with the twins Romulus and Remus in ancient Rome came to rest under a fig tree, so the fig symbolises good luck. In Greek tradition, Dionysus planted a fig tree at the entrance to Hades, where it became a source of hope for rebirth and immortality. I use the fig as a cue to ask questions about these values through the characters in my paintings.

 

The paintings deliberately use a palette of deep purple, a colour that has great significance in the history of art. They combine warm red and cool blue, colours associated with wisdom and spirituality. Blue can symbolise both royalty and melancholy.

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photos. Martin Coiffier

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