This is my first ever piece in a museum!
I’m very honoured that the Musée des impressionnismes de Giverny commissioned this canvas for their permanent collection.
I was of course absolutely free to create the artwork that I wanted.
This piece is called “ Saisons à Giverny ” (Season in Giverny) and is 150cm x 150cm.
Giverny is a village in Normandy famous for being a place which inspired many impressionist artists. The museum, located in the heart of the village, is as beautiful inside as it is outside with an amazing garden surrounding the building.
I was inspired by the garden to create a painting showing its vegetation at different times of the year. Each quarter of the disc represents one of the 4 seasons. The horses show that the piece is meant to be read clockwise. The canvas doesn’t have a top or a bottom. On the picture the top shows summer flowers because we find ourselves in the summer now. However if the painting is hung at another time of the year, the season at the top should always be the season at the moment when it is hung.
The sun sits in the centre of the painting and the globes revolve in orbit around it. The globes show the position of the earth at each solstice or equinox, the point at which we change seasons.
I want to thank Cyril, Valérie, Denis and Emmanuel from the museum for the great professionalism. Thank you to my mentor Gillou for still being by my side long after having taught me to use spray paint. And I have to mention Wendy who I lost in 2006 and who is my greatest artistic inspiration. She passed on to me her love for patterns, flowers and bold colour combinations. Although she will never see my work, she’s a the heart of it and with me every step of the way.
Seb Toussaint 