Grégoire Mathias (born In 1967) Saint-front - Périgueux

Grégoire MATHIAS
(Born in 1967)
Saint-Front - Périgueux
Acrylic on canvas
H. 92 cm; W. 65 cm
Signed lower right. Titled on the back

Creation. Passion. Technique.

These few words would suffice to retrace the journey, and more than thirty years of creation, of this multidisciplinary artist. However, the name of Grégoire Mathias cannot be limited to so little, whether in the characteristics of his work, or in the encounters that have marked his life. A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1989, this young man who became a Parisian by force, had to leave his native Périgord and the old books that surrounded him since his youngest age in the family library. It is most certainly thanks to this cultural bath in which he made his first ablutions, that the budding artist won over his teachers. This set of knowledge, motivation and creativity served him well, and then allowed him to make some encounters of capital importance, as his career testifies today. Having entered Augereau's studio as a guest in his first year of school, Grégoire Mathias followed the teachings of de Buraglio, Licata, Lebrun, but especially Claude Bogratchew, whose demands would result in a permanent desire for perfection. This Parisian period would be dense in personal work, multiplying the drawings in curved rhythms by the thousands, thus integrating all the forms that surround us and no longer needing observation or time for reflection to execute a line: his hands were the only guides. During these years in Paris, the young enthusiast that he was, met a famous American dealer in old posters. He became his relay in Paris and even today, more than thirty years later, Grégoire Mathias is interested in this very graphic subject of the 20th century, which gives him many sources of inspiration. It was also thanks to this meeting that he discovered the United States, where today he has the chance to be represented – in Los Angeles – by the very famous Morateur Gallery. His paintings and sculptures rub shoulders with furniture and objects by Jouve, Lalanne, Adnet, etc. Mathias's cubist work has won over many collectors around the world, certainly through the connection that can obviously be made with the greats of this style such as Braque and Picasso. However, making this connection is a bit reductive for the artist working with his own techniques and a very personal reflection. In particular, he invented the concept of "temporal cubism", linking the specific technique of cubism to the representation of several striking images of a day – or a week for example – integrated into the same work. From this passion for art was also born a collection, ranging from Italian designers of the 16th century to large abstract and structured canvases by Lucien Lautrec. This collection leaves its mark in the daily work that Grégoire Mathias devotes himself to in order to give birth to new works, in his workshop nestled in the heart of Périgord. The contemplation of time is the key to human life. Grégoire Mathias possesses this key and uses it daily to transcribe the depths of his thoughts.

The Périgord subject is rare in Mathias' work, who often uses his travels as a source of inspiration. Here, it is the Saint-Front cathedral which is the one and only element of the composition, where the facets and bell towers are multiplied, replaced, in such a way as to create a succession of levels, like a celestial ascension... An ideal vision of the usefulness of these buildings shaped by man for the glory of God! https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Mathias