Laurence Chiche

Born in 1967, Laurence Chiche is a French artist living and working in Aix-en-Provence. She taught herself the art of painting in 2000. 

Fascinated by the gaze, she tries to capture expressions in her works: "I am driven by the desire to give colour to the expression and strength of certain looks" (Laurence Chiche)

A great admirer of the photographs of  Man Ray (1890 - 1976), Laurent Baheux (1970) and Lee Jeffries (1971) as well as street artists David Walker (1977) and JR (1983), she draws inspiration from their work to create her artworks. Her "BalloonDog" also evokes the works and colours used by pop artist Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987). In addition, the pop colours used in each of her works are reminiscent of the shimmering and vivid colours of pop art. 

"I essentially paint what I feel upon seeing a black and white picture. I don't try so much to depict reality as to convey emotions. I then imagine the finished painting and immediately associate it with a name, to anchor the image in my memory. All I have to do then is bring this "vision" to life by painting the picture..."

Chiche brings her vision to life by drawing her subject with charcoal and then adding colours to give volume and create balance and harmony. 

The artist combines painting and collage, giving life to and highlighting each of her works. She also creates sculptures of dogs on which she paints and glues various elements. 

She often uses acrylic paint to create her works, which is faster to dry and allows her to add layers of paint. The choice of colours and glued patterns allows the spectator to explore a world of inspiration and dreams that evokes all kinds of emotions. The glued elements are made of various materials such as wallpaper, gold leaf, glitter and vintage images... It is a meticulous job that allows certain aspects of the work to be highlighted. 

In addition, Chiche uses a layer of varnish on her sculptures. Resisting humidity and sunlight, this "bodywork" varnish gives the artist's sculptures a brilliant aspect, revealing each detail of a work and giving it vibrancy through a combination of colours, images and the application of the varnish. The paintings are generally made with a knife, which allows a greater expression of the artist's movements and makes the vibrations of each of the colours used shine through. 

All of Chiche's works reflect a freedom of creation, spontaneity and energy. Each one is unique, and they are all accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and signed. 

Laurence Chiche's works are currently exhibited throughout the world, from Paris (ART3F, 2017), to Hong Kong (Gallery of Artists, 2017) and Kuala Lumpur (Art Expo Malaysia, 2017). Since 2018, she has been represented by Galerie BO in Clermont Ferrand.