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The Book

October 2007
Oil painting on canvas 100x81 cm
I observe this canvas before my eyes, under this advantageous lighting, and remind that it took me a year to start being able to write about it.
- The man is rooted in its reading position, the forehead worried. He is a deposed kind.
I remember how much I had to resign to my task to brave its theme. Then the brush touching the linen on and on, thin and persevering, was marrying with the veins of the leaves and it was playing, shy and patient, with the droplets of light fallen from the imaginary sky. The colors become friends were taming my embarrassment, were accepting my inspirations.
- What remains out of the stone faces, feeling calm at last under the ivy curtains, turns its back on him.
I wanted to act without any complaisance; as soon as its image was forecasted behind my eyes, I knew that the painting would be hard to make, and I believed in the necessity for this crudeness.

Sometimes several centuries of patience happen within a single session of painting. This minuscule gesture, insignificant after all, but repeated so many times that it concedes forgiveness eventually. Several centuries of patience and the beast, painting the beast, mothers the beauty, becomes the beauty, turns around.
Suddenly the opposites calm down and blend, the time stops and the man reads.
- A book; a red one, a book about love. A book that tells everything, that theorizes it. A book that knows everything, that is wrong obviously. Who am I? My story, the mirror over which I'm leaning. The complaisant autobiography of King Narcissus, written and read, burned since then.

Close-ups

Early study

Below is the original study I made back then, when I was conceptualizing the scene. Statues where meant to be spattered with blue paint, and the hand of the man to be dripping with blue paint as well. I realized that it would not fit well with the ancient, spirituous mood of the old stones and lush.
070217 New painting design

Comments

Anaïs
Feb. 27, 2011 11:21
l'avoir eue entre mes mains était un honneur pour moi qui travaillais chez votre graphiste! La Digi est superbe!
Bon courage pour l'avenir et bravo pour l'expo!
La stagiaire Alinéaire
pink
Feb. 17, 2010 21:27
Honestly, I do not see any problems with the perspective at all. Beautiful.
cruci
Jan. 11, 2010 18:50
ok, after looking at all your paintings, i must retract my statement about the perspective being "off". You just have a very unique perspective... different from what i've ever seen. Amazing artist, you are.
cruci
Jan. 11, 2010 17:56
it was hard for you to paint this? That's a bit silly and over-dramatic, don't you think? Beautiful painting except for the perspective problem, as mentioned by another person, previously.
Romaric
Nov. 1, 2009 15:33
C'est si beau qu'on a envie d'être le personnage, de nous plonger dans sa lecture sans fin, ou même de vivre ce qu'il lit....
Franchement vous êtes un étonnant artiste!!!
Aug. 16, 2009 18:37
can i fall in love with you?
prajjwal
Aug. 15, 2009 21:13
oh !very nice.colors are very good but i saw the perspective is little bit missed i think it may b due to short distance perspective. but all are ok.
Samantha
May 20, 2009 2:01
I see a lot of your work on Deviant. Your paintings and sketches are extraordinary. You inspire me to start painting more, and stop with the pens. I only hope one day i could paint half way as good as you do. Please keep up the good work, cant wait to see what you'll come up with next :)
Nabeel
May 18, 2009 12:37
its a truly creative work and creativity is a gift from GOD, who is the Great Creator.... i think it is enough ...
Suchitra
May 5, 2009 2:51
i don't think i have any words to describe the feeling i got when i looked at ur paintings....one jst sits in awe of the vision of the mind and the talent of the hand that painted......its exquisite...
Nancy
Mar. 10, 2009 11:11
Thank you for the gift of your art and your words.
To come to this gallery was to immerse myself for hours in the beauty of your artistic vision, and your heightened sensitivity to the miracles and mysteries of life.
Michaël
Mar. 12, 2009 0:10
Thank you for this little insight into a appreciator's mind.
Dmitry
Jan. 15, 2009 20:30
wow, ur work is just so amazing and inspiring, wow... all of your work has so much feeling in it, seem like ur characters have lets something go and are just waiting for something. im 19 years old, and i can never get the feeling into my drawings that i really want to express. most unique and characteristic art i have seen. wow ow!!!
Trygg
Nov. 12, 2008 17:51
This is just... Wow!
Sarah
Sep. 30, 2008 11:06
Your art and writing, together moved me to tears. you are truly amazing. The depth and profoundness in your words and work is genuinely remarkable.
and no...you are anything BUT selfish.
your work expresses what others like myself sometimes feel, and helps us to admit our feelings to ourselves. You especially help those that do not posess your immesurable amount of talent and meaning!
Susan
Sep. 22, 2008 5:42
The mood you set in your work is impeccable. I am a young artist and am slowly learning how to interpret my emotions into my work. When I'm off in my own world, my feelings are so great that I can't seem to put it into a visual. How do you manage to gather yourself and portray it in your art?
kay
Sep. 18, 2008 12:28
you are so talented...such God's gift... i am a young artist..im planning to try oil canvas painting...hope i can work on it... im still using water colors.. charcoal and pencil..im so amazed with your works...its a piece of heaven...i love the colors...so calm..
Aug. 24, 2008 3:20
What a perfect sceane! The lightning and colors did mach with the felling it passes to me! I loved the contrast between his deep expression and the classic imparciality of the statues!
About the anatomy mentioned, his too-long arms bugged me a little, maybe because his shoulders are compleatly lined...I don't know how to explain that...
I love fairyes, and yours are very soft and paceful. I do not agree that you will not change the world, we all do that, and we do not even notice it. Besides, who are we to judge it?

(Sorry for the bad english...)
Aug. 19, 2008 3:31
You have a beautiful style ,your painting is lovely ..but watch your anatomy..for me it spoils what is almost perfect.......................
Michaël
Aug. 19, 2008 11:47
Thank you for the feedback.. may I ask, could you tell me exactly what part is bugging you in the anatomy? That would help to sharpen my judgement. Thank you! :)
zunera
Jun. 20, 2008 4:28
i remeber looking at your paintings before i was pretty impressed but now that i was looking at your work, ive realized that anyone could do that. im sorry but im a painter myself at age of 19. yes, ofcourse theres so many feelings behind ur work... but how come they all are about you. it seems like theres nothings for you to say to the world. pretty selfish, well i admit art is the most selfish thing ever. but your art isnt going to change the world......... then tell me whats the point of painting. i will change the world by my paintings, my drawings, my writing.. by my art.
maria
Jun. 8, 2008 16:39
love your work!
Jun. 6, 2008 16:54
Salut!! Je suis vraiment impressionée par ton talent!! Je crois même que tu es mon ''idole''!! J'aime vraiment ce que tu fais. J'ai vu aussi ta galerie sur deviant art.... C'est merveilleux de voir quelqu'un avec autant de talent!! Woaah!! Et j'aime aussi ta façon d'écrire (c'est poétique...)
Joli!! Tu m'inspires! ^.^

Bonne chance!!
May 26, 2008 12:56
bonjour zancan , c'est salma egyptienne et j'adore votre dessins magnifique :)
i wish i meet you one day and learn from u its been nice to see ur art over deviant art ...
"The colors become friends were taming my embarrassment, were accepting my inspirations. "
i like that part much and i wish i read this book one day :D
bon chance et merci
salma
Corien
May 26, 2008 8:51
Once again, beautiful work, and thank you for the extra information/background on it too.
May 26, 2008 3:59
hi zancan. been watching you in DA. very nice fantasy pantings you have there.
May 26, 2008 1:35
this is one of the most beautiful paintings i have ever seen. it's simply gorgeous. i would kill to be able to paint like this. you are tremendously talented. :)