Le jaune est une saison art work Photo: Courtesy of Yishu 8 official

The solo exhibition Le jaune est une saison by Jonathan Bréchignac, winner of the 2023 Yishu 8 French Young Artists Award, is currently being held at the Yishu 8 Beijing Art House. The exhibition showcases the results of Bréchignac's two-month residency in Beijing: seven paintings and two sculptures created using pine pollen. The exhibition is set to run until July 14.

Bréchignac is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the relationship between nature and contemporary life. His practice spans sculpture, installation works, and paintings, with a strong focus on exploring various materials.

"I chose to come to Beijing in the spring, hoping to catch the flowering season of the ubiquitous Asian pines, so I could collect as much of this material as possible and start creating with these true treasures of nature," said Bréchignac.

Bréchignac noted that the uniform color of the alleyways, or hutong, and ancient buildings in Beijing left a deep impression on him. They are all built from gray-toned bricks, giving a sense of solemnity and tranquility. For Bréchignac, this grayness induces a sense of calm, which reflects his overall impression of Beijing.

Yishu 8 Founder Christine Cayol remarked that Bréchignac has always been carrying out a dialogue with certain elements of nature that he has observed for a long time, and he has never ceased exploring the mysteries of life.

"Whether it is visual, tactile, olfactory or taste, feeling is the first priority for artists, and it is often feelings that organize the layout of paintings, sculptures and sensory installations in a complex way," Cayol added.

For this exhibition, Bréchignac completed three large-scale paintings and a series of four small-scale paintings titled Clouds and Pine Pollen. He also created two sculptures through 3D printing, fully showcasing the color, microscopic shape, and natural form of pine pollen.

Founded in 2009, Yishu 8 is dedicated to residency exchanges and learning between young artists from China and France. Over the years, it has established several art awards and exchange programs, promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and France.

Global Times