Portrait, Circa 1980

Gilbert Pastor  

Gilbert Pastor is a self-taught painter, he was born in Marseilles in 1932. His work is known to be fertile, he has created about 800 paintings, 1500 drawings and stands out because he never presents the title or the date and bows out anonymously. His closeness with the gallery owner, Paul Gizit contributed to his fame.

His work is unfathomably discreet, maybe even withdrawn through finesse. Pastor was born in Provence, it's sun is eclipsed under fenced off, dark but refined houses.

He lives in the south of France, Parisian artists and poets don't hesitate to travel to meet Gilbert Pastor. His friendship with Boris Bojnev the poet encouraged him towards a lyrical vocation "Boris Bojnev gave me self-confidence and the passion to read, especially poetry which he loved and included in his painting" says Gilbert Pastor.

The painter depicts a host of emotions. His touch blends with ocher, faded and warm tones. The shades of his palette offer a variety of autumn and spring colors. Pure art matters a lot to him, his creations let out a bewitching environment, which makes room for pure contemplation, just like the artist's humbleness. His brush has put down roots, just like him in a simple world along with the inner character of a human being.

His troubled paintings shout out, as Pierre Gaudibert the curator correctly points out: "All of Pastor's works unveils an afflicted and troubled atmosphere, like childhood secrets, teenage obsessions and dreams which combine intense eroticism and a modest secret.

His work has repeatedly been highlighted by galleries in Aix en Provence, Nice but spaces like Richterbuxtorf in Lausanne.