Side by side, 2025

Natalya Mougenot   Best sellers

“Side by Side" is a contemporary figurative painting by French artist Natalya Mougenot, depicting the intimate bond and emotional connection between a woman and her dog. Created as part of her ongoing Women series, the painting explores trust, loyalty, and the quiet power of shared presence between human and animal.

Both figures are intentionally faceless, removing fixed identities and allowing the bond itself to take center stage. The woman and her dog sit close together, their proximity and posture expressing intimacy, mutual understanding, and emotional closeness. As Mougenot notes:

"Connection does not need words. It is felt in shared silence, in the gentle nearness of another being."

The dog, attentive and faithful, symbolizes unconditional loyalty, while the woman embodies trust and care. Together, they form a harmonious composition where the energy between them becomes visible in posture and presence rather than expression.

Color plays a central emotional role. Warm earthy tones and soft neutrals evoke comfort and familiarity, while the abstracted background of light and shadow directs focus entirely on the intimate bond. The expressive brushwork preserves the immediacy of the moment, embracing imperfection as a reflection of lived reality: fleeting, sincere, and unrepeatable.

"I paint what cannot be staged. A shared moment with a loyal companion is never the same twice," Mougenot explains.

From a metamodern perspective, “Side by Side" balances simplicity and emotional depth. It avoids spectacle, instead highlighting the authenticity of connection. The painting invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences of love, loyalty, and friendship — human or otherwise.

Through its quiet, heartfelt presence, “Side by Side" celebrates the bonds that anchor us, reminding us that the most precious relationships are often felt rather than spoken.

Details:

Medium: Acrylic on heavyweight professional acid-free Italian Fabriano paper, varnished for protection.
Dimensions: 70 x 100 cm ( 27.6 × 39.4 inches).
The piece is sold unframed.
Signed on the front and on the back.
International delivery from France: the painting will be carefully packed abd shipped flat.