The pieces in Blue as Velvet can be seen as variations on a more general body of work begun in 2020 under the title (en)Tropics. This title originally refers to Claude Lévi Strauss and his more romantic book Tristes Tropiques, in which the author lamented the disappearance of nature colonised by man almost a century ago. What all the paintings have in common is that they reflect the same romantic idea or nostalgia for a pristine, primordial nature that has subsequently been domesticated by man. The result is invented landscapes, imaginary still lifes, forests or jungles encapsulated as samples of nature, where a mystery or fantasy almost always emerges. Each viewer of the paintings is free to find their own explanation for each drawing.
The technique of painting on velvet lends a special atmosphere to this series.
The subjects or objects are painted in negative with ultramarine blue pigment. The figure is then left "in white" (on black velvet) and defined by the outlines. This technique gives a unique impression of moonlight.
Ultramarine blue can be associated with feelings of nostalgia and melancholy (the Blues), and also lends each painting a sense of mystery. Black velvet, chosen to absorb the most light, also symbolises a noble material, softness and theatricality. The contrast and combination of these two sensations inspired the title Blue as Velvet.