A painter born in Brest, Matthieu Dorval develops the innovative techniques born from abstract and neo-expressionist movements. The immediacy of his gesture, the vibrancy of his colors, and the harmony of his compositions express the immutable poetic force of the elements. His painting is nourished as much by the meticulous observation of the landscape as by scientific literature and great authors such as Victor Hugo, Xavier Grall, and Victor Segalen. He discovered China, participating in a 2016 residency at the Red Brick Art Museum in Beijing and contributing to the international project “Elsewhere is Here." In 2018, he was invited to the Shangyu Ceramic Art Center, where he began a series of ceramics, “The Celestial Officers," which entered the museum's collection. He resides at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. Invited by the Santa Fe Art Institute in New Mexico, USA, Matthieu Dorval begins a series of works in the arid landscapes of the American Southwest.
He always returns to explore the chaos of storms and the Irish cliffs. The artist lives and works in Brittany on the shores of Douarnenez Bay.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2025, “Residence in Corsica, Acqua Doria", Galerie Isabelle Laverny, Paris
2025, "L'Aber Autumn Winter", Isabelle Laverny Gallery, Paris
2023, “Color change", Santa Fe Art Institute, New Mexico, USA.
2023, “Men Brial – No one is bound to infinity", Lucien Prigent Contemporary Art Space, Landivisiau.
2023, “The Card Room", Studiolo on the 17th, Paris.
2023, "I will go where it all began", Bertin Poirée Cultural Center, Paris
2022, “Semaphore", Galerie Grégoire Courtois, Dinard, France.
2022, “Celestial Officers", JiangArtMuseum, Nanchang, China.
2022, “Residency Exit", Manoli Museum, Dinard – La Richardais, France
2021, “I will go where it all began", Galerie Grégoire Courtois, Dinard, France.
2021, “Discreet Phenomena", Galerie Grégoire Courtois, Dinard, France.
2019, “The Celestial Officers", Le Cosmonaute, Brest, France.
2018, “West Side", Keranden Manor, Landerneau, France.
2017, “Solo Retrospective", Village by CA - Les Capucins, Brest France
2017, “Sea & Sky: The Book of Wonders", Matignon Gallery, Paris, France.
2012, “King of the World and of the Waters", Françoise Livinec Gallery, Paris.
2011, “Land's End - Terres d'infini", Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2011, “Land's End - Terres d'infini 2", Port-Musée de Douarnenez, Douarnenez, France.
2010, “Land's End - Infinite Lands", Cork Vision Center, Cork, Ireland.
2010, “Land's End - Terras infinitas", Museo do Mar de Galicia, Vigo, Spain.
2009, “Land's End - Infinite Lands", National Maritime Museum, Falmouth, UK.
2008, “Land's End - Lands of Infinity", Committee of the Regions of the European Union, Brussels, Belgium.
2007, “Land's End - Infinite Lands", Blasket Islands Museum, Dingle, Kerry, Ireland.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2026, Ceramic Art Fair, Paris
2025, Group exhibition, Shangyu Celadon Modern Ceramic International Art Center.
2023, “A sort of Mediterranean effect", Studiolo on the 17th, Paris
2023, “Other Black & Sculpted Colors", Le Comœdia Art Gallery, Brest, France
2022, "Elements, Part II", Le Comœdia Art Gallery, Brest, France
2022, “Origins", Manoli Museum, Dinard – La Richardais
2022, “New Breton Wave", Le Comœdia Art Gallery, Brest, France.
2021, “Metamorphoses, Meteors", Domaine Départemental du Château de La Roche-Jagu, France.
2020, “Shadows and Light, Art Unconfined at the Penthièvre Gallery", Penthièvre Gallery, Paris, France.
2019, “On the edge of the abyss", Girls' School, Huelgoat, France.
2019, “Colorful Christmas", Galerie Penthièvre, Paris, France.
2018, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2018, “The Margin at the Centre", Girls' School, Huelgoat, France.
2018, “Like a landscape…", Galerie Penthièvre, Paris, France.
2017, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2017, “Elsewhere is here", Salagon Museum and Garden, Salagon, France.
2017, “Elsewhere is here", Qingdao, Beijing, China.
2017, “Elsewhere is here", Girls' School, Huelgoat, France.
2017, “Philippe Le Guillou's private museum", Galerie Penthièvre, Paris, France.
2016, Red Brick Art Center, Beijing, China.
2016, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2016, "The Firecatcher", Girls' School, Huelgoat, France.
2016, Art Elysée, Paris, France.
2016, Gwangju International Art Fair, Gwangju, China.
2016, Beirut Art Fair, Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center, Lebanon.
2016, “100 years of stele", Galerie Penthièvre, Paris, France.
2015, Group exhibition, Galerie Penthièvre, Paris, France.
2015, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2015, Group exhibition, Galerie Matignon, Paris, France.
2014, “Bring Your Own Strawberry", Livinec Gallery, Paris, France
2014, Art Elysée, Paris, France.
2014, “Exote, The Aesthetics of Diversity", Girls' School, F. L. Gallery Huelgoat, France.
2014, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2013, “What's the weather like?", Girls' School, FL Gallery Huelgoat, France.
2013, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2013, Pavilion of Arts and Design, Paris, France.
2013, Art Elysée, Paris, France.
2012, Art-Paris, Art-Fair, Galerie Françoise Livinec, Paris.
2012, “Pierre qui roule…", Ecole des filles, Galerie FL Huelgoat, France.
2012, Art Elysée, Paris, France.
2012, Pavilion of Arts and Design, Paris, France.
2010, Decoration of the ship "Cap Finistère", Brittany Ferries.
2010, “The Girls' School", Girls' School, Huelgoat, France.
2009, Decoration of decks 6 and 7 of the ship "Armorique", Brittany Ferries.
2007, L'Abbaye-aux-Hommes, Caen, France.
2006, “Art is a journey", National Maritime Museum, Paris, France.
2006, L'Abbaye-aux-Hommes, Caen, France.
2006, Palacete des Embarcadero, Santander, Spain.
2004, Decoration of the officers' mess of the ship "Pont-Aven", Brittany Ferries.
PRICE :
Victor Segalen Prize 2016.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
2026 – “This country that begins in the sea", paintings by Matthieu Dorval, text by Yvon Le Men, Éditions Blanc & Noir
2022 - "Inner Embarkations" - Collective of writers and naval officers, paintings by Matthieu Dorval, Locus Solus editions
2021 - "I will go where it all began – Journal of a journey", paintings and text by Matthieu Dorval, published by Dialogues
2016 - "From Armor to Argoat", text by Philippe Le Guillou, paintings by Matthieu Dorval, published by Dialogues
2015 - "My Peninsula", text by Philippe Le Guillou, paintings by Matthieu Dorval, published by Dialogues
2014 - "The Strawberry Novel, 300 Years of Adventure," paintings by Matthieu Dorval, Denise Le Dantec, Zuka, text by Chloé Batissou, F. L. editions
2011 - "King of the World and the Waters", Xavier Grall, Matthieu Dorval, F. L. editions
2011 - "Land's End - Lands of Infinity 2," co-published by the Port-Museum of Douarnenez and F. L. Editions
