Pop Tiger, 2023

Lucien Mélou  

I was born in 1947 in Argenteuil near Paris. Argenteuil was a high place of impressionist painting. Claude Monet in particular painted the banks of the Seine seventy years before I was born. The landscapes of my childhood, the banks of the Seine, the slopes at the foot of the Moulin de la Galette, were visited by the greatest names in Impressionism. Perhaps even - less than a century after Monet - I walked through the famous fields of poppies that he has so often immortalized on the web? Who knows ? Often, the child that I was, would dream while flipping through the pages and admiring the pictures of some art books that we had at home. At the age of 11, I took part in a painting competition organized by the city of Argenteuil. For the occasion I made a watercolor and I had the immense joy of winning the first prize! An exhibition of all the works of the competition took place at the town hall. My first collective exhibition! Since then, I haven't stopped drawing and painting. Sixty years of unwavering passion! In 2005, by joining the Maison des Artistes, I decided to opt for the status of Professional Artist Author and in 2012 I participated in my first International Fair, "Les Hivernales" in Paris-Montreuil. Since then, I have not stopped presenting my works around the world: Europe, USA, Asia in particular. What is this motivation, since childhood, which has led me to devote myself a little more to my art every day? The wonder! I think that's the right term to characterize this passion. From childhood, leafing through the art books of the modest family library until today, everything is a pretext for contemplation and wonder. I can stop in front of a landscape, a simple meadow of wild flowers, or even an old abandoned barn at the bend of a path. For me, everything is inspiring. Nature is my favorite theme. I am sensitive to the beauty of the world around us. For my part, I never tire of being amazed. So many people no longer see the sometimes very simple beauty of this nature they are surrounded by. I am sensitive to the beauty of trees. Over time, it has become a recurring subject of my creative approach. I am sensitive to their beauty and their symbolism, because these trees are anchored in our Earth, with their tops in the clouds. In the image of man. To rejoice every day to be alive, to be more amazed, to express it through my creative process and to try to share even a small amount of emotion: this is my definition of life!