Lucien Murat

Lucien Murat, a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, is represented by the Galerie Suzanne Tarasieve in Paris. His work is shown regularly in France and Germany. Most recent exhibitions: ArtVilnius’19 in Lithuania, Draw Art Fair London, Art Brussels and l’Orfèvrerie in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. He is the winner of the 2015 Arte/Beaux-Arts magazine prize for contemporary art, which brought his work to the attention of a wider audience.

LUCIEN MURAT X CAMILLE FOURNET

With an assemblage of leather, canvas, sealer and sand, the artist creates a dialogue between eye and material.

ÉQUINOXES

Through a process of cut-outs, the artist's work explores the relationship between femininity and movement.

What made you want to get involved in the équinoxes project?

I wanted to work with Camille Fournet because for me professional relationships should always be based on a personal connection. When I met Françoise Déchery, I sensed right away that our exchange was built on trust and goodwill. The other thing that motivated me was, of course, our mutual love of savoir-faire, as well as the complete carte blanche she gave me.

What were your sources of inspiration for this work?

My artistic inspirations draw on the vocabulary of early video games, which were simple but significant, as well as the world of strong and combative Japanese fiction heroines, the archetype for which is Sasori in Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion. Those women are always in motion and have attributes that make them powerhouses yet simultaneously protect them.

How do you want the viewer to see your work?

I wanted to push femininity to its pinnacle through representations of a warrior woman. Like a play of mirrors, the hyper-femininity of a warrior woman who's always on the move confronts men with the absurdity of how masculinity is represented. The simplicity of the background, a pixelized, almost abstract cityscape, lets the eye focus solely on the character. The leather work, whose sensuality is often subverted by painting, embroidery, and stamping, serves to reinforce her strength.

Sasori
Close up
Credit: Kinuko Asano

Sasori
Artist at work
Credit: Kinuko Asano

Sasori
In his studio
Credit: Kinuko Asano

CAMILLE FOURNET ENJOYS PLAYING WITH MATERIALS AND COLORS. WE LOVE CREATORS, THEIR INVENTIVENESS, THEIR ABILITY AND THE WONDER THEY'RE CAUSING.