Antoine Detaille, from Icons to Weirdos

Some weeks ago, we had the enormous pleasure of visiting the private atelier of Antoine Detaille. Being out first visit to an artist working space, we felt half enthusiastic half shy, as sympathetic as we are, we understood how privileged we were.

The visit was a story of transformation.

Antoine has spent his previous 18 years as part of the artist duo Hell'o. We wanted to understand how that worked in practice. The compatibility was so high that they barely had disagreements and the pieces were organically developed by four hands and two creative minds. At the inception there was more exchange.

Once the piece was thought, execution was a natural duo dance. 

But there were differences. Differences that we would have never seen if the decision to split had not taken place. 

From abstract yet very defined shapes, Antoine needed to express a rawer form of art. 

The inspiration came from his daughter, connected with colour and intuition. The first solo project was a collaboration with textile artist Shishi san, making tappestry out of her daughter drawings. 

The fear of not having equivalent income while being by himself made him rush. Antoine developed more that 200 drawings, interpreting different characters in a series called Weirdos. 

It feels indeed weird watching an adult having some much fun.

One could say that it contests, or opens an artistic dialogue with an exhibition hosted while being part of Hell'o, called ICONS. We let the audience decide. 

Professor in the university where he studied, Antoine invites their students to develop their art both commercially and purely artistically. The best tip he can think of is

produce.

Even when it does not feel right, even when the result does not please us, even when the future is uncertain. 

On what to do with the pieces that you dislike, we got a new surprise: Antoine throws them away, ignoring the fact that in two weeks he may like them, that potential clients could love those pieces or, what is worst, that his agent had already proved interest in those pieces that he dismisses.

The light enters through the windows and we feel also us could seat there and draw, following our intuition, with no fear, and allowing pink, orange, green and yellow make our days. 

We now go to sleep more comfortably, knowing that under the too often grey Brussels sky, someone is bringing colour to life. 

This visit was organised by the Artistic Programme of Vanna collective, which you can get to know in this interview we had with them. 

Forever grateful.