Artist from France
Alain Churlaud is a French painter whose work juggles with the themes of water, mountains, countryside and concepts. His approach is to get into the feeling of the things before the making of a painting. In other words; first of all, there is astonishment at the surrounding simplicity, an emotion that is received. A story that is being built. A clash of colors, a play of lines, a structure that challenges him then builds, conceptualizes itself.
Painting is freedom for him, starting from an idea, Alain does deconstruction-reconstruction work. Reconstruction can move as much towards simplification and purification as towards complexity and overload.
He let himself work in abstract, minimalism, outsider art or figurative manner. Inspired by nature, Alain uses distinctive techniques such as the use of spatula, brush, roller, sand and sawdust to create a unique natural texture and specific shapes. To give more strength to his painting, he only uses pigments to create his colors. Cadmium Orange Red is a must-have that you can find in most of his work. The binder can be matte, satin or glossy according to his inspiration.
His work has an international impact, in France and in Europe in large towns such as Rome, Venice and Barcelona and accepted in well known French sites such as Singulart and Artsper.
more. blogs.churlaud.com/
INTERVIEW with Alain Churlaud
Carmela Loiacono talks with Alain Churlaud who takes part in the International Art Exhibition STORIES OF IDENTITY – The 2nd Edition in Matera, at cultural hypogeum Lega Navale Italiana Matera-Magna Grecia.
Carmela Loiacono – Please introduce yourself.
Alain Churlaud – I’m a French painter. Mywork juggles with the themes of water, mountains, countryside and concepts. My approach is to get into the feeling of the things before the making of a painting. In other words; first of all, there is astonishment at the surrounding simplicity, an emotion that is received. A story that is being built. A clash of colors, a play of lines, a structure that challenges me then builds, conceptualizes itself.
Painting is freedom for me, starting from an idea, I do deconstruction- reconstruction work. Reconstruction can move as much towards simplification and purification as towards complexity and overload.
I let myself work in abstract, minimalism, outsider art or figurative manner. Inspired by nature, I use distinctive techniques such as the use of spatula, brush, roller, sand and sawdust to create a unique natural texture and specific shapes.
To give more strength to my painting, I only use pigments to create my colors. Cadmium Orange Red is a must-have that you can find in most of my work. The binder can be matte, satin or glossy according to his inspiration.
Carmela Loiacono – Talk about the selected works: “Composition in Orange” and “Composition in Red” presented during the exhibition STORIES OF IDENTITY – The 2nd Edition in Matera.
Alain Churlaud – When you asked me to present my work for your exhibition. I founded it so great to have the opportunity to work with this theme « Stories of identities ». A way to show what makes my painting identity. And most of all presenting 2 new paintings was exiting. I wanted for that occasion to create something strong, full of natural materials. A lot of saw dust and some sand. The sand would have been just spread on the canvas. As you may know I’m so found of nature, I was to tend toward structures like moss or lichen you sometimes see on rocks. Sawdust had to be covered by beautiful bright colors as yellow orange cadmium, red orange cadmium to give strength and energy.
Carmela Loiacono – How would you describe your creative process? What or who influenced or is influencing your work?
Alain Churlaud – The main lines, structures, materials and colors are set when I start painting. In the making, events happen and take the direction. For example, the sawdust is not made of the same shape. So it doesn’t follow exactly what I expected to do when I lay it on the canvas. In the go, the mixing I did with binder is not always as liquid as the other time. I let it do its own thing once on the canvas. Sometimes, drops of color fell on the painting and it wasn’t expected. We’re making the painting together, it’s a collaborative work. I’m mainly influenced by Nicolas de Staël, Braque, Soulage and Kandinsky. I also listen to lot of music, I paint surrounded by most of all ambient music and new classical. I’m really fond of Ian Hawgood, Wil Bolton, Enrico Coniglio, Stefano Guzzetti and Valgeir Sigurðsson to give few names (the list can be very long ;-)).
Carmela Loiacono – What do you think about shared art on social media? Could it be an alternative way of communicating contemporary art?
Alain Churlaud – Social media is a way to reach and to be reach. For me, it’s a way to be better known as a person and artist. There one can see that you do not have a single center of interest but many, you don’t work the same way each time. You are multiple in your work as you are in your personal life. So everyone can find in my work the different shapes of what I am and do. It’s a great way to connect our emotions and perceptions of life.
Carmela Loiacono – What are your future goals and/or projects?
Alain Churlaud – I started a project with Enrico Coniglio that will be seen during 2026. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have news about it very soon. My paintings and his music together for a trip from my place (Niort, France) to his place (Venice, Italy). I’ll paint, he’ll play. We’ll be live together.
New paintings for 2025 2nd semester, a handful about water (the sea, the pool, the lake, …) and another about flowers (my sketches are waiting for me).
