Sylvain Louis-Seize

Sylvain Louis-Seize’s Immersive Shine
Written by R.M. Vaughan
This essay was included in the exhibition catalogue for Sylvain Louis-Seize, Resolute which was held at Oeno Gallery, October 12 to November 10, 2019.


Never trust a clean surface. There is always another layer, something underneath.
A painting is a bottomless pit (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). A painting is easy to look at, but to really see it – to, in essence, give to the painting what it so evidently wants to give to you, that sweet gift of light and colour and curious, telepathic messages – you have to stare. Stare without reservation. Stare with what people used to call “nerve”, by which they meant strength.
Stop whatever you are doing right now and stare at one of Sylvain Louis-Seize’s paintings. The word “paintings” hardly seems enough. You’ll see. I’ll wait right here.

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Begin with the basics: shapes, forms, patterns. I see spots. Spots and pools, geographical twists, half-buried crosses, waves and amoebas, zebra stripes, pinstripes, erratic marbling, spotlit corners and shady, secret alcoves. This is not a painting (while very much being a painting), it’s a map. A cartography of crossed roads (and salad-tossed signals) pai...

Exhibited in Canada the U.S and Europe.
Sylvain is a Self-taught multi-disciplinary artist.

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