"In recent years, my way of “travelling” has been to remove certain mountains from these landscapes, leaving only one, clearing the horizon and moving from lake to sea." Thibault Marcilly
Thibault Marcilly invites us to 'set sail' with his thirty or so watercolour illustrations. For him, drawing is a way of escaping reality, getting away from it all and imagining himself in different places. This is where the magic and power of illustration lies: in reinventing and idealising reality. It provides an escape into dreams, thanks to the hand that paints and shapes new forms and landscapes.
Thibault draws inspiration from the landscapes he sees every day: Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains. For the artist, drawing is 'the opportunity to see other places in the world besides the one in front of you'. For the past ten years or so, Thibault has also kept a sketchbook, recording landscapes that he has sketched on the spot. “I learned to draw landscapes in ink using lines and to abstract the main forms that structure the landscape. Often, I had very little time when drawing outdoors, so I had to focus on the essentials and retain only the most important features. This has greatly influenced the way I compose my drawings." But for this exhibition, the ink in his sketchbook has given way to a palette of flamboyant colours. Each hour has its colour, each season its tone: incandescent skies and crystal-clear, deep-blue waters. Now, it is the colours that structure the drawing and bring the landscapes to life. In this way, Thibault delicately captures the poetry of places, whether real or imagined.
From his career as an architect, he retains a great accuracy of line and perspective. 'During my architecture studies, I got into the habit of using axonometric and frontal views to represent my projects. You either take an overhead view to emphasise the landscape and convey the surrounding immensity, or you represent it frontally at the same level as the subject to show things objectively, as in a Wes Anderson film."
Thibault draws inspiration from the landscapes he sees every day: Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains. For the artist, drawing is 'the opportunity to see other places in the world besides the one in front of you'. For the past ten years or so, Thibault has also kept a sketchbook, recording landscapes that he has sketched on the spot. “I learned to draw landscapes in ink using lines and to abstract the main forms that structure the landscape. Often, I had very little time when drawing outdoors, so I had to focus on the essentials and retain only the most important features. This has greatly influenced the way I compose my drawings." But for this exhibition, the ink in his sketchbook has given way to a palette of flamboyant colours. Each hour has its colour, each season its tone: incandescent skies and crystal-clear, deep-blue waters. Now, it is the colours that structure the drawing and bring the landscapes to life. In this way, Thibault delicately captures the poetry of places, whether real or imagined.
From his career as an architect, he retains a great accuracy of line and perspective. 'During my architecture studies, I got into the habit of using axonometric and frontal views to represent my projects. You either take an overhead view to emphasise the landscape and convey the surrounding immensity, or you represent it frontally at the same level as the subject to show things objectively, as in a Wes Anderson film."
The depth of field in his compositions invites us to immerse ourselves unreservedly in his immense and enigmatic landscapes.
The artist then guides us through the tranquillity and charm of these reimagined spaces.
The artist then guides us through the tranquillity and charm of these reimagined spaces.