“Painting is a physical and emotional act, a dialogue between the canvas and myself”. Interview with painter Olivier Masmonteil

Tell us what you do and your beginnings.

I’m a painter with a passion for exploration, landscapes, and infinite horizons. My beginnings in the art world date back to my adolescence, when I entered the Beaux-Arts academy in Brive-la-Gaillarde. Under the tutelage of Jacques Gabriel Chevalier, I was introduced to a multitude of artistic techniques, from drawing to charcoal and oil painting.

During this formative period, I was deeply influenced by artists such as Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly, and Pierre Soulages, as well as by the landscapes of Corrèze and other regions of France. These early experiences shaped my artistic vision and laid the foundations for my artistic subject matter.

In 1996, I pursued my artistic path by enrolling at the Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, where I was confronted with debates on figurative painting. This period was decisive in my quest to understand art history and my own artistic identity.

Today, I continue to explore the themes that have marked me since my beginnings: landscape, art history, and the infinite desire to discover new horizons. My painting reflects this constant exploration, blending reality and personal mythology to create works that invite travel and contemplation.

What does your work aim to say?

My artistic work is an exploration of the possibilities of painting, a quest for meaning in an ever-changing world. Through my canvases, I seek to capture the essence of landscapes, express my vision of the world, and provoke reflection in the viewer.

For me, painting is a physical and emotional act, a dialogue between the canvas and myself. My work also reflects on the history of art and the role of painting in our society. I draw inspiration from the past while looking to the future, aware of the challenges I face as a contemporary artist today.

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