To celebrate her latest exhibition in Melbourne, we get to know Paris-based, multi-disciplinary artist Caroline Denervaud.
Swiss visual and performance artist Caroline Denervaud currently lives in Paris, where she creates abstract and expressive works through painting, film and photographic stills.
Caroline’s performance-based art reflects her studies in dance at the Laban Center in London and Fine Arts in Paris at Studio Bercot. Mimicing the natural curves and motions of her body, Caroline describes her work as a play of connection, conversations and feeling. Caroline’s work is also concerned with how colours meet and interact, guided by instinct emotion, music and interplay between balance and imbalance.
Caroline’s explorative works have led her to esteemed collaborations between fashion house Roksanada in London Fashion Week, Hotel Les Roches Rouge and most recently, the rose-coloured Roksanda Penthouse.
We were fortunate to learn more about Caroline’s style, inspiration and exciting opportunities on the horizon through our timely chat with the artist, recently launching her work as part of Otomys Contemporary’s SPRING SALON exhibition.
Caroline Denervaud is exhibiting as part of SPRING SALON at Otomys Contemporary Gallery Melbourne, until October 4.
Caroline Denervaud
What did you study and what path led you to where you are today?
Caroline Denervaud: I studied contemporary dance, fine arts and fashion. Today I paint and sometimes use movement for it too. Painting is an action of now and here and the way I can express feelings. Life led me to where I am; it was only a question of time.
How would you describe your style of artwork? In particular, your performance-based art?
Caroline Denervaud: For the large paintings my body is the pen that draws the first marks. Then colours intuitively arrive as the body is moving. All is about balance or imbalance, connections, conversations and feelings.
What are the repeated motifs or themes in your work?
Caroline Denervaud: My work is purely abstract and expressive. However, it is constructed as a means of exploring the concept of rhythm, balance and imbalance. The way in which colours meet is also very important to me, the way they communicate with one another.
Could you please tell us about your most significant commissions?
Caroline Denervaud: I recently painted a large wall for an apartment but the most crazy and magical commission was the set for Roksanda’s fashion show, creating paintings that defined a huge space.
How has your style or composition evolved since you first started?
Caroline Denervaud: I sincerely let it go the way it wants to go. Pieces are getting bigger and I started to paint on canvas. Colours are increasingly becoming the main subject.
How has your relationship with Otomys Contemporary evolved?
Caroline Denervaud: We live on the opposite side of the world but this is a fluid relationship. I’m always surprised by how well my paintings are received in Australia.
What is your largest source of inspiration?
Caroline Denervaud: Colours, relationships, movement, balance/imbalance, rhythm, poetry and feeling.
Could you please describe your home-studio? How does it continue to inspire and nurture your creativity?
Caroline Denervaud: I still work at home and like the fact I can paint when I want, night or day. However this will change very soon as I take on a new studio.
What’s next for Caroline Denervaud?
Caroline Denervaud: First a studio, bigger paintings on canvas, exhibitions in Melbourne and Istanbul in September, Paris in October and Miami in December. A wall mural and ‘traces’ paintings for an hotel too.
