Barthélémy Grossmann

ARTWORK CATALOG (PDF)

The exhibition of Barthélémy Grossmann offers a comprehensive presentation of his work. The main focus is a cycle of drawings and paintings. A multifaceted project developed as a personal spiritual and cultural imaginary, a space where archetypal symbols intertwine with individual mythology. At its center is a series of hand-drawn figures representing the archetype of the warrior, a symbol of inner strength, a harmonious bond with nature, and authenticity in the face of contemporary homogenization. Drawing inspiration from popular culture and films that have long propagated stereotypical images, the creator consciously reinterprets these motifs, endowing them with an idealized dimension. His figurative representations are not intended to document ethnographic reality but serve as projections of values such as courage, balance, simplicity, and respect for nature. A complementary aspect of the exhibition is its performative component. During extended drawing sessions, the artist enters a state of deep meditation and a unique trance, working automatically and intuitively, without preliminary plans or sketches, but with full concentration and emotional intensity. This process echoes the classic practices of action drawing.

His artistic practice, marked by an immersive engagement with identity and community experience, is not merely an individual act of creation but a radical form of visual self-expression and lies lies at the intersection of expressionism and art brut. Born in Geneva and entirely self-taught, he developed his work outside conventional academic channels. It is through years of independent, rigorous practice that he has cultivated a distinctive visual language. Working mainly with accessible media such as markers, inks, pencils, and occasionally acrylics, he employs a wide range of substrates. From traditional paper to found materials like wood, each transforming into a potential vessel for transmitting impulses, memories, and inner voices. He navigates fluidly between visual and linguistic codes, reconstructing his own narrative, which simultaneously becomes a collective voice for those whose stories have long been marginalized.

In the context of the global debate on representation, cultural appropriation, and the responsibilities of creators, his work raises crucial questions: What constitutes a symbolic homage, and where does the reproduction of stereotypes begin? Rather than providing definitive answers, the exhibition opens up a space for dialogue and reflection on how an imagined identity can serve as an instrument of living philosophy and spiritual practice.