In 2003, when my father died, I needed a new start in an environment where I was not conditioned by my past. I moved to New York with my wife, Annie, and my two daughters, Shaan and Yamée, high school girls. The adventure will last fifteen years.
Everyone knows that living in New York is expensive. But at this point … The distribution of wealth is terribly unequal: roughly 0.5% of rich New Yorkers against 99.5% of residents who are struggling. I, for example, come to France to give concerts to replenish the funds. And I am opening a gallery-workshop in the 36th, the RE Gallery, which will allow me to balance my accounts. Before signing the lease, I learn that the owner owns not the entire building but 99 buildings in New York! Day after day, I discover a spirit at the antipodes of France. Americans are curious, positive, spontaneous, I observe this every day. Whether it’s their pragmatic questions or their blunt queries. “Which star collector is buying you?” “” Is the picture frame included in the $ 2,000? “” Make me both paintings for the same price “! … With them, no complexes or nuances, but no negative vibrations either. Everything is” Wonderful! “. I work seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For over ten years. I had to repeat the same explanations over my works a thousand times. I’m learning to showcase the right picture. The one that will bring in six to seven more people a day.
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I suddenly feel surrounded by a pack of wolves
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One morning, back from France after concerts, I had the bad surprise to find a PV in my mailbox. I loaned the studio to three artists who created a mess. Uproar, dirt … The cop who issued the ticket will explain to me how to challenge it! And it worked ! On the other hand, when a water pipe explodes my ceiling and destroys 15 paintings and drawings, the owner is not going to give me a present. You learn resilience in New York. And one night, amazement: Donald Trump is elected. Dark thoughts cross me. I, who was proud to live in a country that seemed to contradict conventional wisdom, suddenly felt surrounded by a pack of wolves, aggressive and fanatical demons haunted by protectionism. To say that his bullshit of hawker billionaire
was enough to conquer millions of galos. I feel weary. I lost my voice. Mine, that of the American citizen that I have become, I gave to democracy but it was not enough.
Also read.CharlElie, from every angle
It is decided, after fifteen wonderfully rich years, I return to France. New York made me dream so much. There I found the answers to my questions about art, beauty, sex, family, drugs, religion or loneliness, about money and power. But isn’t Trump the embodiment of the metamorphoses of this city that has turned aside? It is no longer that of “get out of the way and heaven will help you”, it is that of materialistic contempt, of the impossible stake in poker for success. I leave the table.
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