IS ART A LUXURY?

Art is often perceived as a luxury reserved for an elite. Works of art, especially those of the great masters, are sold at high prices and adorn the walls of the most beautiful homes or fill the coffers of banks...

However, art is much more than a simple decorative object, a commodity, or an investment. It is a vector of emotions, reflection, and a witness to our humanity, like the one that already decorated the caves of our ancestors. As an artist-author, I would like to invite you to rethink this notion and rediscover art as a necessity accessible to all.

With the development of online platforms, emerging artists, and a growing demand for accessible works, art is gradually becoming more affordable. In addition, the rise of independent artists is redefining the value of art.

Art as an investment

Artworks, particularly those by great masters or renowned contemporary artists, have become financial assets. They are bought and resold on specialized markets, with the hope of making significant capital gains. Houses such as Sotheby's or Christie's regularly organize auctions where works of art are sold at dizzying prices.

Specialized investment funds buy works of art on behalf of their clients, promising high returns.

The consequences: a loss of artistic essence. Some fashionable artists are tempted to adapt their production to market expectations, to the detriment of their own artistic vision.

By reducing art to its market value, we risk forgetting its spiritual, emotional and intellectual dimension. Moreover, we are alienating the masses to the point of provoking a form of revulsion and acts of vandalism, the work of art no longer being respectable, and even less sacred, but a simple material good like any other, a symbol of hated power.

If art can be a profitable investment, it must not lose sight of its human and social dimension. It is essential to find a balance between the market value of a work and its artistic value.

Art, between tradition and modernity

My work consists of creating traditional portraits and illustrations, but printed on modern and eco-responsible media. This choice reflects my desire to reconcile artistic heritage with current concerns. Indeed, art is not frozen in time. It evolves with society and adapts to new lifestyles. A custom portrait, for example, is a unique work that tells a story. It is a precious gift that leaves a lasting impression. By choosing eco-responsible media, I am committed to reducing my impact on the environment and to offering modern and sustainable works. As an artist, I am convinced that art should be accessible to everyone, regardless of our budget or social background. This is why I strive to offer original, personalized, eco-responsible and accessible works. My products

Demystifying art

Art is not reserved for an elite. It is present in our daily lives, in all its forms: music, a film, a photograph, a simple sketch. Art touches our hearts, it makes us laugh, cry, think. It is a source of inspiration, comfort, spiritual and intellectual elevation. Art is essential. Practicing an artistic activity, whether by creating or contemplating, has beneficial effects on our mental health. It plays an essential role in the education of children, by developing their creativity and critical thinking. Abandoning them to screens instead of awakening their senses and manual abilities is a disaster. Art brings us together and creates social bonds. It promotes dialogue and sharing, the development of empathy.

Art, far from being a futility, is essential to the smooth running of a society.

In an increasingly digitalized world, manual and traditional art offers a valuable alternative. Even if digital art has allowed this accessibility, this openness to all, traditional art invites us to take the time, to observe, to feel. It is a return to the sources, an invitation to slowness and contemplation, as well as a development of our skills.

Art: an expensive hobby?

Very often, when you browse through the photos and videos of all the talented artists on the web, you find yourself discouraged by the quantity and cost of the tools and materials used. Each artist promotes (rightly) the most qualitative brands on the market, whether in paint or paper, but which are very expensive.

Art is above all a creative process. As we are taught from a young age, we can create with anything we find: noodles, tree leaves, with our fingers as instruments, newspaper as a support... EVERYTHING is possible!

In every child there is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist while growing up. Pablo Picasso

Under the influence of social networks, we are quickly invaded by this terrible imposter syndrome: not doing well enough, not using high-quality materials, not knowing the techniques... I campaign, through my own work, for simplicity, which contributes to the authenticity of my works. For example, personally, since I tried drawing with a ballpoint pen, I can't do without it. What's more affordable than a simple BIC?

Another example: how many wonders have been made from waste?

The art of recycling: an ode to creativity and ecology

Who would have thought that a simple tin can could become an enigmatic sculpture, or that an old newspaper could be transformed into a striking portrait? The art of recycling invites us to rethink our relationship with everyday objects and to give them a second life, far from the trash. As an artist, I am convinced that creativity knows no limits, and that art is accessible to all, whatever the means.

By reusing objects destined to be thrown away, we reduce our impact on the environment, contribute to preserving natural resources, we send a message of awareness, and we have free materials in large quantities.

Everyday objects, often banal, are also a source of inspiration; each material has its own characteristics, colors, textures, which invite creation:

• Newspapers, magazines, packaging... can be cut, crumpled, glued to create paintings but also sculptures, reliefs.

• Boxes, toilet paper rolls, packaging... cardboard is a solid and easy to work material to create large sculptures.

• Old clothes, pieces of fabric, threads... textiles can be sewn, woven, incorporated to create a material effect.

• Driftwood, shells, seeds, leaves... nature offers us a multitude of materials to create original works.

• Buttons, zippers, cutlery, kitchen utensils... everything can be diverted from its primary function to become an artistic element.

Start by collecting materials around you, in your home, in nature. Take the time to observe the shapes, colors, textures. Don't hesitate to experiment and let yourself be guided by your intuition.

Consult books, magazines, websites to discover the works of other artists who work with recycled materials.

Some inspirations:

• El Anatsui, a Ghanaian artist, creates wall installations from plastic bottle caps, mixing African heritage and denunciation of global consumerism.

• Thomas Deininger, an American artist, creates astonishing optical illusions with anything and everything.

• Tim Noble and Sue Webster, a couple of British punk artists, create shadow puppets with piles of waste.

• Japanese artist Sayaka Ganz uses plastic in her work: "I believe that the best way for artists to contribute to reducing waste is to show how beautiful these materials can be and what can be done with these mundane objects and materials. When we see these things as beautiful, we value them."

The artist has the power to awaken the power to act that lies dormant in other souls. Friedrich Nietzsche

Artists and Social Status

If the consumption of art is seen as a luxury and a privilege, those who give birth to it have often been, and still are, the most modest.

Throughout history, many have created remarkable works despite difficult, even miserable, living conditions. Their creativity, often nourished by their personal experience, has given birth to works of great expressive force.

• Vincent van Gogh: Although recognized today as one of the greatest painters of all time, Van Gogh lived in great poverty, often painting on poor quality canvases and using cheap paints.

• Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: Suffering from a genetic disease that left him disabled, Toulouse-Lautrec sought refuge in art. He frequented the cabarets and brothels of Montmartre, drawing inspiration from the nightlife and social deprivation.

• Frida Kahlo: Marked by illness, accidents and a tumultuous love life, Frida Kahlo expressed her pain and resilience through her intense and colorful self-portraits.

• Constantin Brancusi: This Romanian sculptor began his career in poverty, using recycled materials to create his early works. He later gained international fame, but never stopped working with simplicity and economy of means.

• Street artists: From Banksy to Basquiat, many artists from modest backgrounds have found in urban art a form of free expression and a way to rise socially.

• Impressionist painters: Although less linked to social issues, artists like Monet or Renoir began their careers in modest conditions before revolutionizing the world of painting.

Despite all the troubles of our world, I have never abandoned in my heart the love in which I was raised or the hope of man in love. In life, as on the artist's palette, there is only one color that gives meaning to life and art - the color of love. Marc Chagall

Writers

• Charles Baudelaire: The cursed poet lived in great precariousness, oscillating between periods of intense creativity and despair. His works bear witness to a heightened sensitivity and a dark vision of modernity.

• Franz Kafka: The author of "The Trial" led a solitary and anxious life, working as an office worker. His novels and short stories express a feeling of despair and alienation that still resonates today.

• Virginia Woolf: Suffering from mental disorders, Virginia Woolf experienced periods of deep depression. Her novels, often autobiographical, explore the themes of madness, the female condition and death.

• Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac, or others like Jack London, Roberto Bolaño, Stephen King and so on... from modest backgrounds, shook up the literary world by expressing the aspirations and anxieties of their generation.

• African-American writers: Figures like James Baldwin, Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou used literature to denounce racial injustices and give a voice to minorities.

Unhappy perhaps the man, but happy the artist whom desire tears apart! Charles Baudelaire

Musicians

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Despite his musical genius, he lived in great poverty and died at the age of 35.

• Edith Piaf: Born in poverty and died at the age of 47 following numerous health problems, she left a deep mark on the history of song.

• The pioneers of blues and jazz: Originating from African-American communities in the Southern United States, artists such as Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald revolutionized world music, despite segregation and economic difficulties.

• Hip-hop: Born in the underprivileged neighborhoods of New York, hip-hop gave birth to artists such as Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and Kendrick Lamar, who addressed strong social themes and found a huge resonance with young people.

Even today, how many talents emerge from underrepresented communities, from working-class neighborhoods...

• Creativity is an inner force.

• Suffering can be a source of artistic inspiration.

• Art can be a way to sublimate pain and give meaning to existence.

• The history of art is full of artists who have managed to create major works despite difficult living conditions.

These examples can be a source of encouragement for all those who wish to create but who feel either limited by their means or unworthy. They show that with passion and determination, it is possible to achieve great things, if only for self-esteem and inner well-being.

Do not hesitate to contact me to discuss your artistic project. Together, let's create works that resemble you and that will embellish your daily life.

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