Frédéric Guillet

It is by analyzing his fascination for the sculptural heads of Modigliani as well as for the so-called “primitive” works of Picasso and Basquiat that the work of plastic research of the painter Frédéric Guillet turned towards African Early Arts. By initiating himself then by going deeper into certain ethnic groups, he discovers the meaning and the extreme richness of their languages. Even if these pieces come from a sometimes distant past, he feels a very contemporary dimension. Her research work is mainly on form and lines, through portraits and postures, her gaze naturally landed on African masks and statues. At the same time, Fredéric Guillet comes from a Western culture. Since his studies at the Beaux-Arts, his artistic references are rather those of Modern Art, from Pop Art to Free Figuration. Also, he wishes to place his language between these worlds, as a bridge between the Primary Arts and Contemporary Art. It is an invitation to reciprocal discovery between cultures, between the past and the present, between sculptural and pictorial expression. His first paintings allowed to define his work universe and to pose his language. From an important work of iconographic research on the different ethnic groups, he chooses the pieces which are mainly statues of ancestors or commemorative, like human models of which he wishes to “draw the portrait”. He tries to understand the history and experience of each piece, their context of creation and their use, to grasp their meaning and significance, to perceive their spiritual dimension. Devoid of their volumes, he faithfully represents them in a minimalist environment to better reveal their lines and shapes with a halo of light. The beings are voluntarily standardized in a neutral gray in order to bring out their particularities. The matter is obscured and is only partially suggested. The colors, originating from natural or synthetic pigments, appear in an almost monochrome way on each painting and contrast sharply with the density of black. The statues, already considered as icons, seem to pose and can sometimes communicate with each other. Represented in this way, the time scale is erased and the First Arts statues enter another dimension by inviting themselves into today's world. For Prime Arts specialists, these paintings are an opportunity to discover the pieces from a different angle, with a new perception linked to pictorial representation. These paintings create a break with the traditionally photographic representations that illustrate, in a standardized way, sales and exhibition catalogs. Through his paintings, the painter gives a new reading of these masterpieces and places them in a contemporary pictorial dimension. A dialogue is thus established, a direct connection between the sacred art of ancient African ethnic groups and contemporary painting. This approach constitutes a cultural bridge that takes the pieces out of their usually very confined context and opens up the prospect of new communication channels. Beyond the pictorial representation, each statue tells a story. These stories are those of the peoples of Africa whose beliefs made it possible to address the spirits and ancestors. It is a question of rituals, spirituality, sacred power, but also identity for the new generations. It also questions us about contemporary history, particularly addressing the subject of the return of works of art to their country of origin. Representing the Primary Arts in a contemporary dimension is to make people want to listen to the history of peoples by sharing their cultures. An illuminating and colorful link between past and present.