Alexandre Valette

Born 1984. Paris, France

Alexandre Valette holds a master’s degree in Art History. He has pursued drawing from a young age, becoming first interested in human anatomy, then studying more deeply western concepts of composition, which eventually led him to abstraction. He is fascinated by history, especially the material history of ancient societies including both their art and tools.

Along with his studies of western artistic traditions, he is also inspired by Chinese painting, especially the work of Qing painter Shitao. From this study, his work became more precise and minimalist, as he sought to eliminate what was unnecessary.

With Eoliths, a series of paintings in Acrylic, ink and raw canvas, Valette explores the forms of neolithic monoliths in a contemporary style that is nonetheless inspired by traditional Chinese painting and ink-drawing. The artist focuses on trace, sign and remains. His working method itself echoes both excavation and sculpting in stone, beginning first by colouring the canvas in black and then slowly removing ink and paint to reveal the image.

Valette is the recipient of numerous awards, including a gold medal for the Grand Concours International of the Fédération Nationale de la Culture Française, 2011 and a bronze medal for the Salon des Beaux-Arts de Paris, 2016.