Capturing a moment, seizing an instant, fixing transitory situations, this is the starting point of Cassandre Cecchella’s work, a multifaceted artist. She delves into family photos and takes pictures of her daily strolls, in order to immortalise situations, sensations, emotions. As she likes to say: “When I see a scene, I project it in painting”.
With an obvious reference to David Hockney, the exhibition I prefer it in colour immerses you in a photo album, bringing to mind holiday souvenirs, instants of life, reminiscences of travels and intimate moments. Cassandre Cecchella defines herself as a painter and this colourful, playful and lively painting is obvious here, without however losing its formal and sharp quality. Finding pretexts for painting, without however sacralising the paint that has to adapt itself to all types of support and presentation, this is the artist’s credo, experimenting with surfaces and means of expression.
What is the “it” in the title and what does it refer to? Painting, life, femininity, encounters? This title recalls all the variety of the artist’s work whilst also reminding us of its indispensable relationship to matter, to the act of painting, to a gesture that remains a primordial, founding and joyful gesture. There is no question of toning down or neutralising emotions, on the contrary. With tact and spontaneity, Cassandre Cecchella removes the pathos from the portraits of people who are close to her, turning them into real “characters” open to interpretation and who sometimes make us face our own position in the world.
Conceived as a working step as well as a counterpart to her future exhibition at Centre d’art Chasse-Spleen, this display of characters talking, exchanging and responding to one another is a playful, joyful and evidently colourful immersion in Cassandre Cecchella’s painting.
Born in 1990, Cassandre Cecchella graduated with honours from the École Supérieure d’Art des Pyrénées Pau-Tarbes. She was the laureate in 2019 of the first edition of the Centre d’art Chasse-Spleen Prize that entitles her to a year of accompaniment in her practice, three exhibitions (Bordeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc and Paris) and a production grant.
Opening on Wednesday 16 September from 6 p.m.
at BAM projects
47, rue Lombard, Bordeaux
Tram B, stop Cours du Médoc
Exhibition from 17 September to 17 October 2020
Opening on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., or by appointment on contact@bam-projects.com