Coming from a lineage of artists where creativity flows in their veins, Gwendoline Finaz de Villaine, finalist for the Culture and Art of Living Trophy of the 2024 French Abroad Trophies, is a French painter with multiple talents. She shares with us her artistic journey, from Paris, Shanghai to New York, where she tries to “promote audacity and commitment”.
From her beginnings surrounded by artists, notably her grandfather, Jacques Brel’s traveling companion, to her classical studies at the Maîtrise de Radio France, Gwendoline Finaz de Villaine has always been immersed in an environment conducive to artistic development. After following prestigious academic studies at Sciences-Po and HEC, she decided to follow her passion for the arts. Expatriated for a year in Shanghai, and more recently in New York, her committed artistic expression is reflected in striking urban frescoes, such as the one dedicated to student precariousness in Jussieu, as well as monumental projects, such as her dragon sculptures on the Great Wall of China.
Painting for the Venice Biennale (2024).
Can you trace your artistic journey that led you to explore various artistic skills?
I was born into a family of artists, nothing happened by chance we will say. I followed classical studies, then obtained a master’s degree at Radio France. As soon as I landed a singing contract at the Folies Bergères, I left HEC. I spent fifteen years there, before participating in several other musicals in France. Then, after the birth of my children, I started writing. My mother is a French teacher, once again, nothing happened by chance. So I wrote the trilogy The Mists of Grandville, as well as a fourth novel inspired by one of my trips to India. Being an expat writer is an incredible experience!
I then moved to Shanghai with my whole family, where I created a show called Parisienne, a rock cabaret with local artists. When I returned from this rich expatriation on the other side of the world, I rediscovered a new facet of my artistic expression, which developed further during confinement: painting. I never stopped painting actually, but I’ve had more success on my Instagram during the pandemic, and it’s grown a lot bigger than I expected. I had the opportunity to paint a huge wine vat, four meters high, at the Grand Palais; the power of the visual was incredible. I carried out many other projects afterwards, including the one on Joséphine Baker at the Pantheon, as well as this big dragon sculpture project planned for June, on the Great Wall of China.
Cuve des Carmes Haut Bridon (2021).
What motivated you to explore urban art?
The closure of galleries and the cancellation of planned exhibitions pushed me to explore new forms of artistic expression. Street art then appeared to me as an opportunity to share my art with a wider audience, despite the restrictions. The first monumental fresco that I created on the wall of Jussieu addressed a subject that was close to my heart: student precariousness. This experience reinforced my desire to get involved through my art, while providing access to culture for all.
And as I keep repeating, during the pandemic the galleries were closed, but the street remained open!
Wall “Hold On!”, Jussieu, against student food insecurity (2021).
How would you define your art?
My artistic journey is constantly evolving, exploring various techniques to express my creativity. I started with cubist paintings, strongly inspired by African art, then I experimented with the use of caviar ink during my expatriation in China, inspired by the aesthetic of Yakuza tattoos. Currently, I focus on street art and large murals, seeking to create works that leave an impression and convey strong messages. I like to promote boldness and commitment. As a woman artist, I believe in the power of boldness to inspire change. My artistic projects are not only aesthetic, they carry deep messages on subjects that are close to my heart, such as equality and solidarity. My goal is to use art as a tool for awareness and social transformation.
Joséphine Baker, at the Pantheon (2022).
How did your tribute project to Joséphine Baker materialize and what meaning does it have for you?
This tribute is the result of a reflection on the cultural and historical symbols that have marked me. By creating frescoes inspired by his performances at the Folies Bergères, I wanted to pay homage to this emblematic figure, while transmitting a message of inclusion and diversity. These frescoes, cut out and distributed to Parisians, have become symbols of an art accessible to all.
Discover the 5 finalists for the 2024 Culture/Art of Living Trophy
Can you share with us the story behind your project at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, for the Paris Olympics?
Our project at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, in collaboration with the Lycée Français de New York, is an ambitious initiative aimed at promoting French art in the United States. Today it is more a question of other emblematic places, like Central Park, for obvious security reasons. But the objective would be to create a large fresco as part of the Paris Olympic Games, in order to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries, while promoting France on the other side of the Atlantic.
The Dragon’s Journey, Place du Panthéon (2023).
Your work The Mother Dragon will soon be exhibited in China, on the occasion of the Chinese New Year. Can you tell us about the development of this work?
The Mother Dragon is a symbolic creation which celebrates the Chinese New Year, particularly in this year 2024 under the sign of the dragon, but also the influence of Chinese culture in my life. It is not by chance that I named my daughter Gaïa, having given birth to her during my expatriation. She’s a real “made in China” girl!
This project saw the light of day last year, and will be completed next June. Made from red Plexiglas, the dragons are inspired by the Louvre pyramid: they are similar to glass origami, but each weigh 900 kg! This work therefore symbolizes the strength and vitality of the dragon, while evoking the bonds of friendship between France and China.
“The Elixir of Love”, acrylic and Indian ink (2021).
How have your various expatriations influenced your artistic expression?
My painting is very influenced by the Orient. In particular, I use the “ink-caviar” technique, which has become my trademark, inspired by the Japanese artist Akinori Haga. An oriental influence which has not gone unnoticed, as the Chinese and Japanese have often pointed out to me.
More recently, I used posters torn down from the streets of New York to create works inspired by the Big Apple. This is the whole essence of my art: capturing places and saying through my works that I was present as a Frenchwoman. This mix of cultures never ceases to inspire me.
2024-02-22 17:14:22
#Gwendoline #Finaz #Villaine #Shanghai #York #monumental #artist
