QUOTES
2017
Pierrette Cornu Translation : Corinne Martin
"chaotic desires"[1]
My characters as a rule are mostly ‘manimals’, either grotesque or threatening. They invite the viewers to ponder, to shake preconceived ideas and to question themselves on the meaning of our lives. They are represented by deformed bodies, summarised by their extremities, rather repulsive but full of revealing dark corners, in a permanent state of struggle.
In my painting ‘essays’, I am trying to expose all the people who are disconnected, wounded, or just simply unsuited to the whirlwind of our modern life, with a mixture of poetry and grating humour.
My purpose is to observe difficult things, scrutinise the darkest corners, where there are rumbles under the surface, to uncover unpalatable truths and fight against a brutal world that ‘I cannot bear in painting’.
Finally, I want to remember words and laughter in order to ward off the worst. I want to inject a bit of light-heartedness in the face of life seriousness and, as Samuel Beckett (my favourite playwright) used to say ’not to forget the valuable mistakes we make since they reveal a little about ourselves’….
[1] ‘chaotic desires’ - Inspired by the title of a play from the theatre company “Les Pêcheurs de rêve”
Rêverie, a waking dream or an observation of human beings interacting with each other and with their own bodies where life ‘hiccups’. Half visible and half hidden, a ‘manimal’ body sketched by its extremities in order to show his/her essence. I’m trying to gain a deep and heartfelt understanding of what’s below the surface by revisiting old wounds and impalpable fears.
Re: the state of human ties. I’m still working on this and particulary on the link with our childhood – as if a smile could save us from the worst and also a link to future generations – a society under the influence of digital world.
Rejig the grey areas, dust accumulated over time, cement. The grey void, a ‘between’ space that enables me to capture the vibrations, the imagination and the flow of strengths and weaknesses around me. And to incorporate in my work foreign bodies, tiny abandoned debris but nonetheless integral part of the world. And to add a few words gleaned here and there to feed my painting ‘languomittment’
My aim is to keep exploring the state of human ties and question every wound, every fear. What is left of our speech after we have finished our phonetic grazing is the quintessential tool needed for painting - words heard or listened to, bilingual spoken language, crumbling poetry...
A written text sometimes appears next to a painting. In my "état des liens" collection, I started with "lecorpersist", an expression made up after listening to contemporary poets whose words "cling" to your body. Many more words born from generous donors, from everyday life, from the streets, and anything from the theatre world,... provide an irresistible springboard for my painted rumblings as I strive to create a "representative epiphany", an expression that adequately summarizes the flavour sought and the meaning, or lack of, in my quest to explore the human race, and or its environment.
Too ambiguous to be genuine that face, toutètaboudner ! what does it mean, this life where speech is nowhere to be heard or where lies are uttered ; wanderings of frustated touches !
You, the artist with a sad face, staring at blurred faces with appetizing irregularities, think of fading in the background ! You are losing it with your experiments when you explore to see if there is any echo inside ! Who are you, humanimal ? Still using a pointless pictorial gesture, which might be obsolete in 2013 ? You've poked the relief look ; it has been oozed out, the mask has been torn off. Dig the nail in that head, portrait with a crumbly façade. Life has no meaning so let's go, the window is ajar and, with it, display intrinsic humanity like meeting somebody new, fugitive intuition and extreme care ! but whatdoyamean
My characters as a rule are mostly ‘manimals’, either grotesque or threatening. They invite the viewers to ponder, to shake preconceived ideas and to question themselves on the meaning of our lives. They are represented by deformed bodies, summarised by their extremities, rather repulsive but full of revealing dark corners, in a permanent state of struggle.
In my painting ‘essays’, I am trying to expose all the people who are disconnected, wounded, or just simply unsuited to the whirlwind of our modern life, with a mixture of poetry and grating humour.
My purpose is to observe difficult things, scrutinise the darkest corners, where there are rumbles under the surface, to uncover unpalatable truths and fight against a brutal world that ‘I cannot bear in painting’.
Finally, I want to remember words and laughter in order to ward off the worst. I want to inject a bit of light-heartedness in the face of life seriousness and, as Samuel Beckett (my favourite playwright) used to say ’not to forget the valuable mistakes we make since they reveal a little about ourselves’….
[1] ‘chaotic desires’ - Inspired by the title of a play from the theatre company “Les Pêcheurs de rêve”
2016
Pierrette Cornu / Translation Corinne MartinRêverie, a waking dream or an observation of human beings interacting with each other and with their own bodies where life ‘hiccups’. Half visible and half hidden, a ‘manimal’ body sketched by its extremities in order to show his/her essence. I’m trying to gain a deep and heartfelt understanding of what’s below the surface by revisiting old wounds and impalpable fears.
Re: the state of human ties. I’m still working on this and particulary on the link with our childhood – as if a smile could save us from the worst and also a link to future generations – a society under the influence of digital world.
Rejig the grey areas, dust accumulated over time, cement. The grey void, a ‘between’ space that enables me to capture the vibrations, the imagination and the flow of strengths and weaknesses around me. And to incorporate in my work foreign bodies, tiny abandoned debris but nonetheless integral part of the world. And to add a few words gleaned here and there to feed my painting ‘languomittment’
Reworking constantly my characters on canvas, permanently doubting their accuracy and putting them back into a dream state. They are spectators of real and exhilarating life, a life that can be broken, able or unable to handle its tragic aspects by acting in an absurd and unassuming way.
A written text sometimes appears next to a painting. In my "état des liens" collection, I started with "lecorpersist", an expression made up after listening to contemporary poets whose words "cling" to your body. Many more words born from generous donors, from everyday life, from the streets, and anything from the theatre world,... provide an irresistible springboard for my painted rumblings as I strive to create a "representative epiphany", an expression that adequately summarizes the flavour sought and the meaning, or lack of, in my quest to explore the human race, and or its environment.
Whatdoyamean - 2013
Pierrette Cornu / Traduction Corinne MartinToo ambiguous to be genuine that face, toutètaboudner ! what does it mean, this life where speech is nowhere to be heard or where lies are uttered ; wanderings of frustated touches !
You, the artist with a sad face, staring at blurred faces with appetizing irregularities, think of fading in the background ! You are losing it with your experiments when you explore to see if there is any echo inside ! Who are you, humanimal ? Still using a pointless pictorial gesture, which might be obsolete in 2013 ? You've poked the relief look ; it has been oozed out, the mask has been torn off. Dig the nail in that head, portrait with a crumbly façade. Life has no meaning so let's go, the window is ajar and, with it, display intrinsic humanity like meeting somebody new, fugitive intuition and extreme care ! but whatdoyamean
from "la Mort de Rire" - 2010
in l'Expressionnisme Contemporain - 200 oeuvres de chair et de sang - Publishers lelivredart - p 19 -2010
Pierrette Cornu / translation Corinne Martin
" I like to work with day-to-day material mixed with the paint (anything that is lying around unwanted like dust) ; it adds depth to the painting and allows these disused and forgotten elements to share the limelight. Why paint ? it is my way of observing, seeing better, searching beyond the surface, identifying objects and beings in order to master my fears. To get closer to reality through laughter and to paint the physical quiver laughing creates ; to bring this motion to life using the body in order that it becomes pure visual representation. How to depict a theatrical performance in only onfe fell swoop : how to visuallly represent life and laughter."
In einem einzigen Bild, eine ganze Performance, Leben Lachen inszenieren.
Malen als genaues Hinsehen,
Malen um besser und hinter den Schein zu sehen,
Malen um furchtlos Sachen beim Namen zu nennen.
Das Lachen als Zugang zur realen Welt, sich tot lachen, laut und gestikulierend. Die im Gesicht beginnende Erschütterung des Körpers bis zur Gestik, im Bild festhalten.
Sich tot lachen : faszinierender Widerspruch ! Ein Hang Zum Morbiden, ein Stück Leben ohne Worte, eine Art jubelnde Not nach den Worten Becketts : "bedenkenlos Leid und Komik mischen".
Um den Endpunkt zu verdrängen oder zu verlängern, sollten wir das Lachen nicht vergessen !
Materie inszenieren, oder eher Fremdkörper, als zufällig angetroffener Müll, auf dem Weg zur Frage, die mich hier beschäftigt : Wie stehe ich zum Lachen ? Um was für eine Art Lachen handelt es sich ?
Ein dionysiches Lachen von Nietzsche : "viel Lachen ist nachzuholen" oder besser "es gibt viel nachzulachen", ein febreiendes, ruhiges Lachen, ein ekliges Lachen, das tödlicher ist als Zorn,... ohne das Lachen über sich selbst zu vergessen, das grosse herrliche und groteske Lachen über das eigene Elend.
Inszenierend, wie im Theater, eine zwischen Ernst und Verrücktheit ambivalente Malerei neuerfinden, eine Malerei die vieldeutig lacht. Auf diese Weise soll sie Beben auslösen, mit dem Ziel die tragische Dimension der Welt noch krasser zu offenbaren.
Eine klare Eingrenzung des Lachens passt mit nicht. Die Suche nach einer Darstellung, die das Lachen nachempfindet stimmt eher mit meinem Verlangen, den Akt des Malens wie einen Rausch zu erleben, ohne nachzudenken, noch sich in Details zu verlieren, um das Auge nicht abzulenken.
Sich tot lachen : ein Versuch das Geheimnis des Lachens als letztes Refugium des Menschlichen zu interpretieren...
in l'Expressionnisme Contemporain - 200 oeuvres de chair et de sang - Publishers lelivredart - p 19 -2010
Pierrette Cornu / translation Corinne Martin
" I like to work with day-to-day material mixed with the paint (anything that is lying around unwanted like dust) ; it adds depth to the painting and allows these disused and forgotten elements to share the limelight. Why paint ? it is my way of observing, seeing better, searching beyond the surface, identifying objects and beings in order to master my fears. To get closer to reality through laughter and to paint the physical quiver laughing creates ; to bring this motion to life using the body in order that it becomes pure visual representation. How to depict a theatrical performance in only onfe fell swoop : how to visuallly represent life and laughter."
Sich tot lachen
traduction Philippe MerzIn einem einzigen Bild, eine ganze Performance, Leben Lachen inszenieren.
Malen als genaues Hinsehen,
Malen um besser und hinter den Schein zu sehen,
Malen um furchtlos Sachen beim Namen zu nennen.
Das Lachen als Zugang zur realen Welt, sich tot lachen, laut und gestikulierend. Die im Gesicht beginnende Erschütterung des Körpers bis zur Gestik, im Bild festhalten.
Sich tot lachen : faszinierender Widerspruch ! Ein Hang Zum Morbiden, ein Stück Leben ohne Worte, eine Art jubelnde Not nach den Worten Becketts : "bedenkenlos Leid und Komik mischen".
Um den Endpunkt zu verdrängen oder zu verlängern, sollten wir das Lachen nicht vergessen !
Materie inszenieren, oder eher Fremdkörper, als zufällig angetroffener Müll, auf dem Weg zur Frage, die mich hier beschäftigt : Wie stehe ich zum Lachen ? Um was für eine Art Lachen handelt es sich ?
Ein dionysiches Lachen von Nietzsche : "viel Lachen ist nachzuholen" oder besser "es gibt viel nachzulachen", ein febreiendes, ruhiges Lachen, ein ekliges Lachen, das tödlicher ist als Zorn,... ohne das Lachen über sich selbst zu vergessen, das grosse herrliche und groteske Lachen über das eigene Elend.
Inszenierend, wie im Theater, eine zwischen Ernst und Verrücktheit ambivalente Malerei neuerfinden, eine Malerei die vieldeutig lacht. Auf diese Weise soll sie Beben auslösen, mit dem Ziel die tragische Dimension der Welt noch krasser zu offenbaren.
Eine klare Eingrenzung des Lachens passt mit nicht. Die Suche nach einer Darstellung, die das Lachen nachempfindet stimmt eher mit meinem Verlangen, den Akt des Malens wie einen Rausch zu erleben, ohne nachzudenken, noch sich in Details zu verlieren, um das Auge nicht abzulenken.
Sich tot lachen : ein Versuch das Geheimnis des Lachens als letztes Refugium des Menschlichen zu interpretieren...
