Henri Landier, a name synonymous with French artistic brilliance, is in India exhibiting his works for the first time. His Delhi exhibition, Douce France (Tender France), is a vibrant exploration of his homeland’s essence. We caught up with the maestro himself to delve into his artistic journey, from the shadowy etchings of his early career to the sun-drenched landscapes that define his later work.
Q: Your early work, Etchings in Darkness, captured a shadowy Paris. What inspired this style, and what artistic movements or figures influenced you at that time?
My first works indeed reflect the postwar era. Paris was dirty and people were poor. At that time, I was inspired by Robert Doisneau, the photographer, by Marcel Carné’s movies and the poetry of Pierre MacOrlan and Jacques Prévert. As for painters, I was already influenced by Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
Q: You mentioned a “major shift” in your art after your maritime adventures. Can you elaborate on this turning point? What sparked the shift towards vibrant colours and landscapes?
My first paintings reflect my way of life as a young man. My mother didn’t want me to be an artist, so I had to leave the house to fulfill my dream, not to say my destiny. I ended up alone in Paris, living in a wooden shed with no water and no electricity. During the day I was at school and at night I was working and I was definitely not making much money.
When I became a sailor, I suddenly found a family. I could eat every day and the simple fact of travelling thrilled me. I discovered the beauty of the word and I felt like adding colour to my compositions.
Q: Your Delhi exhibition explores the theme of Tender France. How does your art capture the essence of this concept? What aspects of France do you aim to showcase through this collection?
This series is somehow a declaration of love to my country. After a life spent travelling the world, I wanted to come back to my roots and tell how beautiful this country is. I choose watercolour and made clean compositions as I think it is the best way to represent simple moments of life.
Q: While Parisian life undoubtedly influenced your work, your travels played a significant role as well. How do the landscapes of Provence, for example, find expression in your art?
When I discovered the light of Provence, just like Cézanne before me, I realised how much one landscape could change throughout the day. If you could spend a day out and make a painting every hour from the same point of view, you would have 24 different paintings. This is the way Cézanne painted the Saint-Victoire mountain so many times.
Q: Your use of watercolours is a signature aspect of your style. Can you describe your process and the techniques you employ to achieve such vibrancy and luminosity?
In Venice, for example, I did a few oil paintings, but mostly watercolours because it is this technique which translates best the transparent atmosphere of Venice where there is no pollution from car traffic and a particular light from the lagoon.
Q: What inspires you to create? How do you approach a new piece, and how does the concept evolve throughout the creative process?
Each of my works comes from an experience or an encounter. I start with making some drawings and then, in my studio in Montmartre, I turn them into oil paintings or engravings.
Q: Looking back on your prolific career spanning over seven decades, how has your artistic vision evolved? Are there recurring themes or ideas that resonate throughout your work?
My work indeed evolved a lot. I was a young man when I started painting and now I am almost 90. I choose to be independent so no gallery would tell me what to paint. When I was in my 30s, the gallery I was working with asked me to make only landscapes of Provence, because they were selling well, but I didn’t wan’t to copy myself and this is when I decided to have my own space. There are some recurring themes in my carrier such as Paris and the sea for example but there is no real guideline. It would have been boring to make the same paintings again and again.
Q: Your work has been exhibited worldwide, and you’re recognised as a prominent figure in French art. What does it mean to you to hold this title?
It means a lot to me. I think it is what all painters aim for but I do not take it for granted. I think it is important to keep on making exhibitions so as many people as possible can discover my work. Because I don’t produce all these paintings for myself, I make them for others to see.
Q: You’ve mentioned the influence of Parisian cabarets. How do you see your art influencing future generations of artists, both in France and internationally?
I don’t know but what I want to tell future generations is, “have your own style, follow you own path, do not comply to trends. When I was young, abstraction was the thing and I was told staying figurative would not work, but I made it anyways.
Q: You continue to work in your Montmartre studio. What is it about this artistic neighbourhood that inspires you and fosters creativity?
Historically, Montmartre was a little village apart from Paris and artists settled there because the rents were cheaper. Now, it is becoming more and more expensive but, when I discovered it, it was affordable and definitely the place to be for an artist. I think it is still one of the liveliest neighbourhoods in the city.
Exhibition: Douce France – Henri Landier.
From July 19, 2024 to August 19, 2024. 11 am to 7 pm.
Galerie Romain Rolland (AFD)
Alliance Française de Delhi, Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi.
— manuvipin@newindianexpress.com