Gabriel Rioux
Painting’s Title: “I spent my three wishes on revenge”
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
I usually don’t have a precise plan for what I’m going to do, it really just comes at the moment of picking up my brush.
I know some people like to do sketches and plan beforehand but personally, I just love the feeling of starting something without really knowing where I’m going withit. I also like having the freedom to change some things along the way without stressing about a plan that I’m about to completely ignore. That being said, there are some recurring themes in my paintings. I try to create spaces where books, vases and plants intertwine in spaces where life seems to have lost its bearings, and where windows sometimes open onto anonymous landscapes.
How would you define your work in a few words (ideally in 3 words)?
Peaceful, melancholic, timeless.
Could you share with us some insights on your painting diptych ‘Candle’ (2024)? Is there any particular story behind this new work?
There isn’t a particular story behind it. It’s like many of my other paintings, just a mix of things that come to mind when I paint, many of them that I mentioned earlier.
Visually there is a sort of a painterly concentration on flora depictions which seem to be a distinguished creative motif on your recent canvases. Is there any specific purpose in this plant or flower life in your imagery?
I think subconsciously, I’ve adopted the love for flowers/plants that my mother has. Ever Since I was kid I remember her planting flowers everywhere and having a bunch of plants inside too. Nowadays I genuinely cannot get myself to do a painting without any kind of flower or plant and it’s been like that for a long time now haha! I also feel like moving into the city made me appreciate them so much more.
Would you consider your body of work a sort of contemporary ‘still life’ paintings?
In a way, maybe. Still life is an aspect of some of my paintings, even though it’s almost never the main focus. I always try to incorporate backgrounds that catch the eye more than the rest. The still life aspect, if there is any, is mostly to give the viewer a point of reference in a space that sometimes feels senseless.
What about your interest in the airbrush technique? It seems you are quite keen on this kind of painting method?
This last year I’ve been experimenting a bunch. I started painting with acrylic paints and a normal brush and I did that for years before thinking about using something else. A couple of months ago I started painting with oil paints and now with an airbrush. It’s pretty fun to experiment with other tools/mediums, especially since I didn’t study art in school, that probably would have given me a chance to try these different techniques before but all good, I was busy studying literature back then so what can I say.
Can you mention any artists you, lately or generally, take inspiration from?
I love many artists/painters but I wouldn’t say I take inspiration from them. I tend to get inspired by other types of art like writers (Hubert Aquin, Cioran) and musicians (TRISTANTHEEND, DORIS).
Which are your plans for the near future?
I don’t have any plans currently but I’d love to do a residency in Europe one day. I would also be interested in working with brands/creators who can bring my art to life in other ways than painting.
All images courtesy of the artist