Artist Véronique Besançon connects with the essence of humanity through her abstract expressionist paintings. View more on her website.
“Je chevauchee le monde” (I ride the world) mixed media on canvas, 18” x 24”
A self-taught painter, I was born in Morocco in 1959 into a Russian-Hungarian-French family and grew up in France. I studied clinical psychology and NIT. Ever drawn by the international and the intercultural element, I continued family traditions by immigrating to Canada in 1997, into the heart of Montreal in Quebec.
“Je suis âme du present” (I am the soul of the present) mixed media on canvas, 72” x 48”
Along with my work as an educational technology advisor at the University of Montreal, my artistic activities are the center of my life. For a dozen years now I have been on a personal journey exploring human complexity and transferring it into a pictorial universe.
“L’avenir à l’horizon” (The future on the horizon) mixed media on canvas, 24” x 48”
As with my other artistic practices—contemporary dance, theater and automatic writing—I am interested in the process, in the individual journey, in the course of life.
“Omniprésence” (Omnipresence) mixed media on canvas, 48” x 48”
It is from this perspective that I apply myself through Art Brut, an expressionist art inspired by my automatic writing practice. This style of writing invites me to connect in the present moment. It brings out the essentials of my inner nature in relation to the universe around me. Once put into words, the free gesture invites the emergence of a message that I love to uncover through creation.
“Univers en gestation” (Universe in gestation) mixed media on canvas, 48” x 24”
My intention is to write and paint inspired by what emanates from the present moment. Intuition is my guide. Freedom of expression is my process.
“Fée discrete” (Discreet fairy) mixed media on canvas, 16” x 16”
I work in series and explore a theme as long as I find it interesting and my treatment just. The only constraint is my choice of format, which I either repeat or diversify. I find a richness in varying the artwork sizes and have a certain penchant for the large.
“La déesse du bonheur” (The goddess of happiness) mixed media on wood panel, 20” x 20”
The creative process is initiated by transferring my texts to the canvas in dry pastel. I then let liquid colors, chosen at random, drip their way through the words. This becomes my background. It is a free and unrestrained gestural exploration. I create colors from pure pigments, thus promoting vibrant tones, which spontaneously compose and position themselves in a pictorial abstraction.
“Puissance de vie” (Power of life) mixed media on canvas, 24” x 30”
Then I intervene with bold and dry pastels. I draw, sketching and giving shape to a composition and meaning to a message based on abstraction. The content, the form, the reading, the aesthetics—all are in relationship, recreating a cast of characters who appear to question the events encountered in our society.
“Soupir profonde” (Deep sigh) mixed media on canvas, 48” x 48”
Ethereal beings that are not quite defined emerge as a group spirit—a human flow. Through these characters, I create a composition that expresses a societal nature where these beings are aligned, one behind the other, or next to each other. They seem to be walking towards or waiting for something.
Artist Véronique Besançon
By using words as a background and the expressionist dimension to my artwork, I enrich my subject with an intention of dialogue, which is like a primitive language. I thus direct my reflection, my gaze, on others and towards social situations that are close to my heart—the human essence.
Artist Véronique Besançon invites you to follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
I love the exuberance of color in your work. It speaks to me emotionally! It speaks to my love of beautiful art.
Thank you very much for your comment. I really like the way you receive it “exuberantly”! My point being human emotions !!! Strong and uncontrollable for the soul …