Here's our interview with Patrick Bergès, known as PB, who is from Origné, Pays de la Loire, France.
Please describe your artwork style
I give life to a naive and colorful world. Wide colored tint areas painted with raw acrylic paint are juxtaposing; shadows and volumes are suggested thanks to a black line in the style of the "light line"(inspired by the comic strip Belgian school). Stoned houses, closed shutters, hanging clothes floating in the wind and ... "cinquecento" Fiat allude to the Mediterranean atmosphere well-known from Corsica to Italy and from Spain to the French Riviera, even if other inspiring influences such as Brittany also contribute to my work.
Who or what are your biggest influences?
Evidently the comic strip belgian school and particulary Hergé, father of Tintin... Today, all comics influenced by the “light line” style like Jim (“A night in Roma”), Cosey (“Italian travel”) or Kuijpers (“Franka.”) My influence is based upon my own experience, my history, and before all the images, sensations of childhood in the light of the mediterranean atmosphere.
Where do you create your work?
At home, essentially with photographs, journey diary, travel notebooks...
What do you feel is the role of the artist in society?
To give emotion, pleasure and optimism...
What techniques / mediums do you use?
Acrylic on canvas with only raw acrylic paint. I never utilize mixed paint.
Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?
Both but the engine of creation is for me “to feel like doing” with the objective to “make somebody want to do.”
Where do you find your ideas for your work?
Essentially after travels in Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal or other Mediterranean countries... I also have inspiration walking in the streets of Celtic cities in Brittany.
Is there an artwork you are most proud of?Why?
Two of them, because one has been selected fot the “Berliner art prize 2016 and another in Italy, for the CCBA catalog (Concorso Buenos aires Milano 2015, 2016.)
How do you know when a work is finished?
Never. Some months later i can touch up a color or a title or... everything.
What is your most important artist tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
My travel notebook. Yes... Whisky
You can see more of PB's work here: http://www.galerie-com.com/artiste/pb53/22455/
You can contact PB here: [email protected]
