La galerie et l’enfant, 2026

Serge Nicolas-Castel  

The work sets a child lying on the floor with a helmet on their head discovering a work of art. Scene inspired by the visit to the Saatchi gallery in London in January 2026. 

This oil composition explores urban solitude through a play of reflections. A solitary figure rests on the floor, isolated in a pink coat. The character seems to fade into the glossy surface of the pavement.
The gaze then turns to the wall. Three paintings displayed in a gallery line up there, creating a dialogue between art and reality. One can distinguish a black and white face, red and blue graphic shapes, then two silhouettes in a yellow light.
The artist plays with verticality and symmetry. A black thread connects the frames to the sleeping person, suggesting an invisible link between the mind and the image. The fluid technique of oil painting brings a particular depth to the reflective surfaces.
The whole invites reflection on escape, calm in the heart of the city,Will the child's imagination, natural at this age, survive? what place does Western construction leave for the imagination?

The contrast between the bright colors of the paintings and the neutrality of the floor structures the space. The scene ends with a precise detail: the inverted reflection of the face, almost fused with the white floor.