Pascal Lagesse, the “Zafer” style
Pascal Lagesse • 23 March 2022
The word “Zafer” comes from the Mauritian creole and is generally used to name something undefined or when one doesn’t know the name of a particular object.
The influence of Van Gogh in the Zafer paintings come from the fact that some of the master’s brushstrokes tended to take geometrical forms. Spirals and circular shapes that can be seen in his painting “Starry night” and the near geometric shapes found in the painting “Flowering meadow with trees and dandelions” challenged me and I asked myself what if these paint strokes were simplified at their fullest? How would such a painting look like? This is how I began painting with circles, spirals, squares, triangles, lines, and dots.
I wanted to see whether the viewer would recognise a landscape, or an object made of graphic signs. I rapidly realised that the use of circles, triangles, squares, or spirals did not hinder the comprehension of the painting and foremost the intention I wanted to convey. For example, a chicken with a dotted texture, a striped texture, or a texture made of triangles did not take away the fact that it was a chicken in the viewer’s mind. In many cases, the addition of graphic textures made a common subject more interesting. In many Zafer paintings I decided to give the viewer graphically complex skies with colours far away from the traditional blue or grey real-life skies. There have never been any doubts in the viewer’s mind that these were skies. Whether a sky was made of giant circles, huge stipes or dots did not affect the overall comprehension of the painting.
One must not see the Zafers as an interpretation of nature or a landscape out of an LSD induced painter’s brain but as a call for beauty. The Zafers are graphic interpretations of a luminous world, a coloured world, a simplified world opposed to the real world we live in. Here, the world is like I would have wanted it to be. I bear an innocent naivety that one can find in my Zafers. Is it the vision of a child refusing to grow up? This celebration of colours and joy denounces our dull and ugly world around us.
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Laurentiu STROE - Color, Texture, Inner Emotions
Your colors are so rich. How do you achieve this effect? When it comes to full-format graphic works, there is no secret as such. Achieving such rich and vivid colours is a combination of technique, material and intuition. I start by choosing high quality, expensive pens made by SAKURA, JAPAN, which allow me to achieve maximum colour saturation. Ultimately it is about finding the right balance and harmony to allow the colours to speak and evoke the right emotions. My goal is to make colours not just seen, but felt. Whether I am working with traditional materials or digital media, I focus on layering and blending to create a sense of saturation that mesmerises the viewer. Ultimately my approach to colour is about creating emotional resonance. I choose colours that evoke certain feelings and experiences, allowing the viewer to connect with the work on a deeper level. By carefully manipulating colour, I strive to create work that not only attracts attention, but invites contemplation and participation. Did you begin by drawing, painting? How did your art evolve over time? My journey in art began with black and white graphics. I was captivated by the simplicity and immediacy of a simple black gel pen and white paper, which allowed me to freely express my thoughts and emotions. Over time I moved on to conceptual art where I discovered the richness of the depth of colour. My art has evolved considerably, influenced by the different experiences, cultures and techniques I have encountered along the way. Initially I focused on black and white abstraction, but as I became more confident, I began experimenting with coloured pens and mixed media techniques. This evolution reflects my personal growth and desire to challenge traditional boundaries in art. Each phase of my artistic journey has contributed to the unique voice I strive to express in my work today. I see myself developing further by creating a multi-layered installation where I can engage the viewer's tactile, auditory and visual senses. What do you want the viewer to feel? A person can display on his face only one emotion fear, joy, sadness, sympathy. But in his soul a man is multifaceted. All intertwined experiences, from love to hate, create in the depths of his soul the most important feeling. And its name is Zero Emotion. And it is this emotion that I try to catch and capture in my works. Through my art I hope to evoke a sense of connection and introspection in the viewer. I want them to feel a deep resonance with the layers of stories and emotions embedded in each piece. My artwork is meant to awaken curiosity, inviting the viewer to explore and uncover their own interpretations and perceptions of reality. Ultimately, I strive to create the very world to which the viewer resonates.
