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InspirationArt & Culture

Grey matter: the sculpture-inspired paintings of Yoann Merienne

Self-taught artist Yoann Mérienne may be young and relatively unknown. But his innovative and unusual approach to creating art is turning heads in his native France and beyond.

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Monochrome painting of a classical skull with branching antlers surrounded by draped fabric, rendered in shades of grey with dramatic lighting

Before he begins the painting process, Mérienne, who was born in Sallanche in 1987 and currently lives and works in Lyon, creates physical moulds of his subjects. He then lights each piece in a precise manner, establishing a photographic and cinematic context in which he explores links between 21st century painting techniques and traditional sculpture.

An absence of colour gives way to subtle shades of grey, which are pushed aside by intermittent halos of overexposed light. Mérienne generates his palette directly on the canvas during the painting process, and the texture of his marks hint at the fast and brutal momentum of his brush.

In his new exhibition On the Surface, Mérienne questions the connections between modernity and historicity, with subjects influenced by both Antiquity and the Renaissance. His striking monochrome images deliver a new approach to classical iconography; mixing up different eras in pursuit of a timeless aesthetic.

On the Surface is presented by Galerie Artima in London, from 6 June 2017 until 7 July 2017.

Monochrome painting by Yoann Mérienne depicting multiple male figures in classical poses, some shirtless and others clothed, with dramatic lighting creating stark shadows and highlights
Monochrome painting of a figure wearing a spherical helmet with perforated eye holes and draped fabric, depicted in shades of grey with dramatic lighting and gestural brushwork
Monochrome painting of a sculptural male head with draped fabric, rendered in shades of grey with dramatic lighting and visible brushwork
Monochrome painted portrait of a person in profile with pale skin tones and dramatic shadowing, created by Yoann Mérienne
Monochrome portrait painting of a male head with closed eyes, rendered in grey tones with dramatic lighting that creates highlights on the face and shadows defining the facial features
Monochrome painting of a bald male head viewed from above, rendered in grey tones with dramatic lighting creating overexposed highlights across the crown and shadows defining facial features
Monochrome portrait painting of a bald man's head tilted downward, rendered in grey tones with dramatic lighting and gestural brushwork
Monochrome painting of a contemplative head with eyes closed, rendered in soft greys with dramatic lighting that creates luminous highlights across the forehead and face
Monochrome painting of a bald man's head with closed eyes and neutral expression, rendered in shades of grey with dramatic lighting creating highlights on the forehead
Monochrome painting of a figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat with eyes closed, rendered in shades of grey with dramatic lighting effects
Monochrome painting of a man's face with eyes closed, rendered in soft greys with dramatic lighting and visible brushstrokes creating a sculptural quality
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