Imoca droit devant, 2024

Alain Abramatic  

Imoca Straight Ahead captures the moment of total commitment, when the monohull lines up facing the sea, launched at full speed. The tight composition reinforces the sensation of direct, almost head-on forward movement, as if the viewer were embarking with the boat, sharing in the effort and concentration required to maintain the course. The paper collages, integrated into the sails, create a living, pleated surface, traversed by subtle variations. This material captures the light and gives the wind a tangible presence, perceptible rather than visible. The sand, mixed with the paint, suggests the swell, the sea spray, the rough and unstable contact of the sea beneath the hull. The canvas, prepared with white gesso, becomes a space for breathing where the painter's gesture is freely inscribed. Traces, friction, and areas of dense material translate the energy of movement and the constant tension between speed and balance. The lines do not describe: they accompany, guide, and propel. This work does not seek to represent a race, but to evoke a familiar sensation: that of going straight ahead, carried by the wind, focused on the horizon. Imoca straight ahead acts as a sensory reminder, a dynamic and silent presence, inviting introspection and the recollection of an effort experienced in the face of the elements.