Secret Painting

​Marianne Simonin is a French artist with a studio practice in London since 1995. She has taken part in numerous exhibitions in England and abroad. After a two year Art foundation (Poitiers,1979) she joined online courses with StudioELL (New York 2017, 2024) and with the Contemporary Art Academy (London, 2022-23). STATEMENT I am interested in the impermanence of time, using painting, drawing and collage to explore identity, memories and symbolism. My latest technique involves overlaying inks, lines, pencils and colours over her work, in order to explore the many possibilities of the subconscious language. My source of references stem from my archive of vintage and personal photos, songs and poems My paintings have a psychological or spiritual presence depending on the theme, and archetypes and symbols often filter in my work. I use the human figure as a thread to revive emotions and childhood memories, or to make a statement about women that I admire and see as symbols of female energy. The use of black is also important in my work, and I go through phases when I can only work in this shade. Initially an oil painter I now explore mixed media to adapt the technique and medium to my theme. This can range from flooding large canvas on the floor to create a momentum between chance and control to writing delicately with ink and nib over drawings. My titles are part of the creative process and at times they initiate the work. I also like the language of colours, and rarely use them in their primary form. I always search variations of tones by mixing them and exploring different tones and shades, transparency or opacity. I like to explore also Tantric symbolism, as it allows me to work in a more abstract and meditative way using primordial shapes. My technique may involve a ritualistic approach while working on spiritual themes. I frequently travel by myself to find inspiration, spending many days in silence.