L’Atlas, aka Jules Dedet Granel, is going through a period of personal introspection. He released a monograph published by Skira last year — the most comprehensive book on his work to date. In it, he highlights his subjects of predilection: abstraction, gesture, and geometry.
Now, he’s taking stock of his artistic career over the past 25 years and contemplating his next steps.
The mid-career artist no longer asks himself what he hopes the viewer will take away from his work. “It’s not that I don’t care what people think or feel, but I’m more focused on my own feelings — what my art will bring me,” he divulges.
“It’s me whom I want to seduce, and the challenge is to continue enjoying creating,” L’Atlas adds. “There will always be people who like it and others who don’t. Today, I’m more interested in having practical or technical discussions with other painters, seeing how they work, and understanding their process. It’s more the intrinsic question of painting itself — how and why you do things. I’m in a period where I need to renourish myself by going to museums, artist studios, and travelling again.”
We’re standing in the middle of L’Atlas’ atelier on the outskirts of Paris where he’s telling me about his latest creations for his solo show, Get in Line, which just came to a close at Galerie At Down in Montpellier in the south of France.
With works priced at up to 15,000 euros (S$22,116), it celebrated 20 years of friendship between gallery founder Nicolas Pinelli and L’Atlas and a decade of collaboration.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of The PEAK Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2023 edition of The PEAK Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Sophisticated Bachelor Pad
In this two-storey apartment belonging to a finance in professional, designer Jerry Tan of Joey Khu ID created distinct arez ork and play.
Fringe Modalities
Poet, frontwoman, and shamanic healer ArunDitha Emmanuel returns to Singapore with renewed vigour to push the state-enforced boundaries of art.
Taking On Decolonisation
The annual Per°Form Open Academy of Arts and Activations by T:> Works this year tackles the complex subject of decolonisation with a line-up of artists from the global south.
Japan at Half-speed
A walking tour through the Kunisaki Peninsula in Kyushu is an invitation to appreciate thé country’s beauty ata snail's pace.
Truffle Sabotage
In the heart of Chianti, dark tales of the truffle trade, bacchanalian feasts, and sun salutations await at Christina Ong's COMO Castello del Nero in Tuscany.
Is Barolo the Next Burgundy?
With Burgundy prices reaching starry heights, we find out why Barolo is the next frontier for oenophiles.
Hungry for Hansik
Hansik, or Korean food, is becoming more popular worldwide due to the proliferation of Korean pop culture. We explore two of the cuisine's stalwart elements.
Maxed Out
We explore the intricacies of high-performance tyre development inside Continental’s top-tier test facility in Germany and put its new MaxContact MC7 tyres to the test.
India Rising
From a culture whose glorious traditions have greatly influenced luxury jewellery today, young designers like Renu Oberoi are rewriting the narrative.
A Life Less Ordinary
Street culture pioneer-entrepreneur Feroze McLeod defies convention, even in his watch collection.