Igor Gaignault

Igor Gaignault was born in 1958 in Paris. During his childhood and youth, part of his visual environment consisted in paintings by artists such as Kandinsky, Kupka, Magnelli, Herbin, Picasso, Degas, Dali and Miro.

In the course of the 1980s, he created objects made out of different materials and, in 1990, he discovered slate and began creating objects from this paradoxical material : cold and warm, brittle yet strong, dark and luminous, thanks in this case to pyrites, « gold of the lunatics ».

He claims that slate, because of its very slight thickness and the infinity of motifs covers its surface, is eminently graphic and pictorial.

In 2004 the Art History Professor, Jean François Larralde, interested in his work, invited him to exhibit at the Guéthary Museum, where those contemporary pieces of his drew significant interest.

In the course of 2006, he defined the « lithologue » concept, -the talking of the stone- enabling the stone’s alphabet and language to be disclosed.

This concept was developed while taking into account ancient Chinese philosophy which believed that every stone is a world, as well as the poetic and philosophical writings of Roger Caillois on stones. « Stones, situated in the universe at the antipodes of mankind, perhaps speak the most persuasive language », Pierres Réfléchies

Naturally enough, the evoked themes are cosmic and cosmogonic. Surprisingly, the word « tellurian » -of or pertaining to the Earth- is a synonym of Earth and was used to evoke the Earth, personified and deified, joined with Jupiter.

His objects powerfully express a lot of energy, serenity and light.

Igor defines himself as an « object maker » for, as Ernst Gombrich wrote in his History of Art : « I believe that the modern artist wishes to create objects and the accent concerns both the object notion and the creation one. An artist wishes to create something which has never existed ».

Also, on an etymological point of view, an object is what possesses an existence per se, which affects one or several of the five senses, or also what arouses an interest and a behaviour of an affective nature.

Igor is also a designer whose objects have been exhibited at « Now ! », the new designer platform within the Maison & Objet show in Paris, during the September 2005 session.

Mix Future Interiors, Elle Décoration and other magazines and periodicals have presented his work which is drawing the interest of a growing amount of contemporary art collectors.

Igor Gaignault is a French and American dual citizen. He lives and works in Guéthary, famous village on the French Basque Coast.

Discover contemporary artworks by Igor Gaignault, browse recent artworks and buy online. Categories: contemporary french artists. Artistic domains: Sculpture. Account type: Artist , member since 2005 (Country of origin France). Buy Igor Gaignault's latest works on Artmajeur: Discover great art by contemporary artist Igor Gaignault. Browse artworks, buy original art or high end prints.

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