Musiciens ou le dernier voyage, 2012

Christian Vassort  

In each of his paintings, Christian Vassort plunges us into a small world of plump dwarves living the mundane stories of everyday life: people gathering to eat and drink, play music, dance, or sleep at the foot of a tree. However, upon closer inspection, many aspects reveal that they belong not to the human world, but to that of fairy tales. Chimneys emerge from trees, a wild goose enters a living room through a closed window, dogs dance in tutus, Death with her scythe pursues musicians, a sheep wearing a crown is adored by a crowd, and two tiny dogs impose their will on an enormous woman. These beings are too serious to resemble real humans; it is they who seem to be trying to imitate us.

A strange atmosphere emanates from every work, and one must admire the remarkable mastery of composition in each painting. Shapes interlock like clusters, forming a kind of puzzle made of complementary rounded pieces. All forms are plump and arranged with colors that are both tender and discreet. The light is never harsh. Even outdoors, living beings seem to huddle in shaded corners where they can find sanctuary.