Ahead of Lustre, our nationally renowned craft and design market, we spoke to artist Olivier Leger, whose drawings and paintings celebrate the wonders of the oceans, whilst also drawing attention to the threats they face.
What is it that fascinates you about most about life in our oceans?
“The interconnectedness of ecosystems and all life on Earth is complex, intricate and beautiful. And we live on a blue planet – the ocean covers more than 70% of Earth’s surface and it supports all life on Earth.
The weird and wonderful mysteries hidden under the waves spark our imaginations, and our ocean endlessly offers something new to discover. The more I learn about the ocean, the more I am astounded, and the deeper I fall in love.”
How do new ideas emerge for you and what is your process for developing them into finished artworks?
“My intricate paintings and drawings tell stories through the detail. A huge part of my process is research – to learn more about our ocean, and the opportunities and challenges facing it, so that I can tell stories of the ocean through my artwork. That includes field trips and connecting with conservation organisations and research projects around the world. As a keen scuba diver, I draw inspiration from my experiences underwater, and use the photos and videos I take back the studio to build my compositions.
Thinking through how to communicate all of that through imagery is not always straightforward, when ocean ecosystems and issues can be complex, intangible and abstract. How, for example, do you illustrate the idea that life on Earth probably started deep in the ocean?
Then there’s also all the strange, surreal animals who live in the ocean, such as immortal jellyfish and leaf sheep (look them up!) which are great fun to paint!”
What feeling do you hope your artworks bring to their eventual owners’ homes?
“That’s a great question – I hope that my artworks can take someone on a journey of discovery and delight. I hope that they can start conversations about our blue planet and our relationship with it. And that they enjoy spotting a new detail each time they look!”
Could you tell us about what you are working on at the moment?
“I am currently working on my largest, most ambitious painting to date ‘Atlas’. With this painting I hope to create a symbol of our ocean – that celebrates the wonders of life in our ocean, draws attention to the threats it faces, and highlights the work being done around the world to protect our blue planet.
Like the Greek Titan Atlas was cursed by Zeus to carry the heavens on his shoulders, here Atlas bears an ocean world on her back, cursed by humanity to bear responsibility for the future of her own environment.
The painting will explore the diverse habitats found in our ocean from the deep sea to coral reefs to seagrass meadows. Within the details, you’ll see issues represented such as coral bleaching, plastic pollution and overfishing. And I’ll be highlighting the vital conservation work being done around the world, from coral reef restoration to shark conservation.
‘Atlas’ has taken 6 months to date, and will take another 2 years to complete! Inevitably it will evolve over the coming years in response to my research experiences and our rapidly changing world.”
Meet Olivier and see his beautiful artwork at Lustre on 8th -10th November. Entry is free. Find out more.
To see more of Olivier’s incredible work, visit his website here.
