15/11/2020
How did Petites Luxures start?
Petites Luxures started by accident: I never stopped drawing since my childhood, but turned to graphic design to make a living.
One day, back in 2014, I was stuck to bed by a bad flu, drawing as usual to pass the time, but I was too tired to finish the pin-up drawing I had started.
Later, when I looked to this unfinished girl, I found it interesting, and started to draw more and more unfinished minimal erotic scenes. It was inspiring enough for me to try to make something with all this!
Which were the main turning points of your career as an artist?
It is still difficult for me to consider myself as an artist, I find the sentence “I am an artist” very pretentious. (although I must admit that I could be considered as an artist, since I make a living from my art).
I think that when I decided (persuaded by my Lover) to quit my job -art director in an agency- to run “petites luxures” full time, it was indeed an important point in my career. And my first solo show at Hashimoto Contemporary New York too, of course.
What’s the personal or professional achievement you’re most proud of?
Personal, my family of course.
Professional, it’s hard to tell, because I think that you must always question yourself when you’ve finished something, to make even better next time. It’s the only way to progress, but also a good way to never be proud of yourself 🙂
But I’m very proud of how my pictures went deeply into some people’s intimacy.
Each time I heard about people using my drawings to talk about sex with their lover because they’re to shy, or living in long distance relationship, I feel very proud of it.
At the opening of the solo show in New York, an incredible girl hugged me, in tears, and thanked me because she used to have a lot of problems in building her sexual life, and my drawings helped her a lot -and her boyfriend- to have a happy sexual life.
This, was a great pride for me.
You’re a master in mixing eroticism and irony within your artworks. What’s the connection between the two?
Well, I think all that I want to do with Petites Luxures is to show Sex in a natural and funny way. In a light-hearted way.
Because sex is usually taboo, or dirty, or too serious… I think it could, and should, be more subtle and happy! And petites luxures is all about this : if you take off either eroticism or irony from it, it wouldn’t exist anymore.
All the interest is in mixing the two!
A lot is left to imagination in your art. What’s the role of absence in your creative vision?
It helps the viewers to project themselves into the pictures, to make the scenes their own. The less I draw, the more the viewers will need to make their brain work, which is the main thing to do with eroticism!
I used to work in advertising, where I was always hearing: “the viewer must not have to think for understanding the message”. But for me, it is a great lack of respect.
The images MUST make the viewers think, and use their imagination to make.
Do you have any rituals within your creative process?
Well, it depends of where and when. The main thing in my process is being inspired by non-erotic things (everyday life etc…) and finding a funny way to make them erotic.
And about precise rituals, when I really want to be calm and peaceful for drawing in my studio, I prepare all my paper and pencils, burns some incense I brought back from travels in Morocco and US, and listen to some freaky-folkish tunes. (Lately my favorite is Shirley Collins’ album “the Power of True Love Knot”, for example)
Where do you see Petites Luxures in 5 years?
I hope still in the same philosophy, but bigger!
More different works, sculptures, installations, and also more conceptual and interactive works (but still a lot of drawings of course).
And I hope more and more exhibitions around the world, and collaborations with great artists, editors and creators. Feel free to contact me at petitesluxures@gmail.com to do so!
Would you recommend any other inspiring erotic artists that you think are worth following
Well, I try to be not too influenced by other contemporary erotic artists, so stay true and sincere, so I’m more into romantic painters from the XIXth century… But I’m definitely in love with Alpha Channeling and Apollonia SaintClair works for example, and I’m always jealous of how clever the pictures of Malika Favre are, her erotic works are stunning!
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