New PaintingMy salon smells like paint. Today is Monday. The paintings were hung on Saturday. That means that for two days now we've been getting to know each other, the paintings and me. But the actual smell of oil paint- it's heavy and sweet at the same time - is one dimension of painting that I've never encountered before.
It's because the paintings are new. There are six paintings that make up the new painting of Julien Isoré, and which he hung on Saturday. Before he got down to work hanging the paintings, we talked a very long time about his painting and how he had sequestered himself in Lisbon after several years of the love project that brought him on tour to many countries outside of France. And as much as the Love all around the world project flourished and grew, and gained disciples, and unified people, it did not give him any time to paint.
The pendulum swings. He took shelter in Lisbon, a very different life from Paris, where, he says, "People get together and go for walks there. And talk. Sometimes they bring a piece of fruit..." So this simple life enabled him to get back to painting and this show is the fruit(!) of four years work. He wanted to call it "Faces," because three of the paintings are portraits of friends. But I demurred, because of the film by Cassavetes, and because I so much love his beach scenes.
Because he is so much more eloquent than I, we are organizing an evening this Thursday, the last day of February, so that he can speak about his work and life. For me, it is summed up in the two words that are the hallmark of great art: energy and honesty.
For more information on the evening with Julien this Thursday, please email me at grace.teshima@gmail.com
This weekend we plan an afternoon viewing at tea time.
His website is http://www.julienisore.com/paintings.html
Pictured above: "Femme"160 x 146 cm. oil on canvas 2010. Price on request.
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