ARTEXTURES - The Works

Bringing the power of material texture to an image that might have been strong to begin with, but that was still in the arbitrariness of indetermination.

Bringing visibility back to what has ceased to be visible. By striving to reveal all the strata accumulated over time.

"I strive to reveal the universal – and therefore timeless – beauty of these objects, which have let their guard down."

Bamba Sourang.

That's a good question. What, indeed, do we see? Or, more precisely, what type of image do we see? Through what medium is it reaching us? Are we looking at a photo? A painting? Something altogether different? If we could provide a clear, definitive answer to these initial questions, reticent minds would probably be reassured.

The true material that captivated the artist, and which was transformed into a digital file, must be brought forth as a material again. But this time, it is transformed by the vision of the artist and the technique that he has chosen.

Bamba chose to print cotton canvas, glue it to a dibond panel, and then coat it with a very transparent, very pure automobile clearcoat (applied by hand in several layers).

Each piece is unique, since the result of each coat of gloss (applied within one and a half months) is always different.

The canvas brings texture back to the printed material, while the clearcoat enhances the level of perception of the details and brings out the nuances.

The work is framed by a custom-built steel structure that has been rusted and stabilised.

The fragment now appears encapsulated and fixed in time. This material, which no longer exists as it was photographed, takes on eternal life.