Here are pictures of my latest work in Sannois, France.
While renovation works are taking place on the Villa Rozée in the town centre, I was asked to create a piece on the site’s barriers. The building is the former town hall that will be used for weddings in the near future. I created patters that reference Sannois’s flora, architecture and heraldry.
Organised by Quai 36 !
Bocage – 60 x 80 cm -acrylic on canvas. Artwork for sale – contact me for more info.
The Bocage is a part of Normandy where small fields are separated by hedges and woodlands forming a mosaic of small rectangles. The term “bocage” is used to describe other similar agricultural landscapes in other parts of the world. Several elements reference Normandy such as the presence of two leopards like on the flag, as well as Normandy being placed in the centre of the globe.
This canvas was created for the group show “Impressions Urbaines” taking place in Argenteuil, France.
I’ve just finished this work at the centre for migrants at Porto Empedocle in Sicily.
The word « الحياة » meaning “life” in Arabic was chosen by Salam, a young Egyptian who had just crossed the Mediterranean Sea by boat. I wrote the word in Arabic on one side and in Italian on the other.
Here the Italian Red Cross takes care of any ill or injured migrants before sending them to hosting facilities elsewhere in Italy where they will possibly obtain refugee status.
With Share The Word Project, I’ve often painted the words of victims of conflicts, and refugees all over the world. But this was the first time I painted the word of someone who was still on the move. It was very interesting for me to paint in that context.
I want to thank Andrea Bartoli and Farm Cultural Park for organising all of this and being such great hosts!
AMOR. – acrylic on a 50×50 cm canvas.
Art for sale, contact me for more info!
HEART 50×70 cm – acrylic on canvas. Artwork for sale contact me for more info.
A few weeks ago in Thailand, Ooi – the leader of the slum – gave me the word « heart ». She talked about the importance of having a good heart, being generous and caring. It’s a word I have never been asked to paint anywhere else, and I think it really suited the community. Also, I just love it when I get new words to work with!
“Freedom”. Risograph print – edition of 30 prints numbered and signed. 30×40 cm.
Available here : https://sebtoussaint.bigcartel.com/
Freedom is a word I have been asked to paint 9 times in 11 years of painting people’s words in slums and refugee camps. For obvious reasons, « Freedom » has been chosen most of all by victims of opression, particularly in Syria, Palestine, and Venezuela.
This is my first ever risograph print! I loved going through the process of choosing what inks to mix and to what degree, in order to obtain the colours.
Taking you to Phra Chen.
Oat chose the word « ศิลปะ », pronounced « Ṣ̄ilapa », and meaning « art » in Thai.
She loves art and has been thinking about painting her own wall for a while. She told me she has seen the walls I have painted around the slum and she really appreciates my art and muralism in general.
I have now painted 9 murals in Phra Chen, and it’s time for me to say goodbye.
I’m giving my left-over paint to Oat for her to paint the other part of her wall! Can’t wait to see what she’ll come up with!
Mae chose the word “興” , pronounced “xīng” and meaning “to rise”.
Mae chose the word “興” , pronounced “xīng” and meaning “to rise”.
She is both Thai and Chinese and wanted me to write her word using the traditional Chinese script. This word refers to life and how we rise during our lifetime as human beings. Mae is a mother and a grandmother and has an important role in her family, being the eldest.
In 2012 during a trip to Beijing I painted in Chinese for the first time and I just love the balance of each character, or logograph. I feel like each character even in a very simple font is beautiful in itself. This particular one appears to be standing on two feet, which I thinks goes well with its meaning!
Seb Toussaint 