Mauritius - Colas

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Olivier Masmonteil:
“Roads, the promise of an encounter”
M
ost of your paintings depict natural
landscapes. What was it that drew you
to roads ?
Olivier Masmonteil: In 2008-2009, I went on a world
tour to see the landscapes that have always fired my
imagination : the glaciers of South America, the
deserts of Australia… from that trip, I put together a
series of one thousand pictures in 25 x 35 cm format,
called “At any time of the day”. So I spent a long time
on the road! Roads are a means of escapism: they
take you to the places you want to be. When I painted
the road for Colas, I thought about American cinema
and the esthetics of road movies.
What is it you like more about the countryside
than cities ?
O. M.: I’m from a rural background and grew up in the
ROUTES No. 25 – September 2010
COLAS FOUNDATION
Born in 1973 in
Romilly-sur-Seine,
Olivier Masmonteil
graduated from the
Bordeaux School
of Fine Arts. He lived
in Leipzig, Germany,
and spent two years
traveling the world before
settling in Paris.
Most of his exhibitions
are held in France but
he also takes part in joint
exhibitions in Europe.
His favorite theme is
landscapes.
Massif Central. I’m a solitary person and love untouched
landscapes. In my paintings, human presence is often
suggested rather than portrayed. The road may be
empty but it still holds the promise of an encounter.
What are you working on at the moment ?
O. M.: I’m still exploring the landscape theme and
revisiting my world tour using large-format canvases,
where I’ve got more freedom to portray my emotions:
it’s less figurative and more expressive! I can recall,
for example, a day I spent tuna fishing in the
Marquesas Islands with a fisherman: I’m trying to
depict the immenseness of the Pacific Ocean, the
mystery of the night, the power of nature, etc.