As part of the Art Capital 2023 exhibition, which takes place at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris from February 15 to 19, two West Indian artists, Régine Séraphin and Roger Palie, are present at the Independent Artists’ Salon at the Art Freedom space in the Couleurs Pays association. Encounter.
•
Valentine’s Day was also the opening day of the huge Art Capital 2023 exhibition at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Paris. An event bringing together some 1,500 artists and thousands of works. Art Capital is divided into four fairs, one of which is dedicated to independent artists. Among the latter, two West Indians, Régine Séraphin and Roger Palie, supported by the association Couleurs pays de la Antillese Melissa Biron.
“In our Art Freedom initiative we wanted to highlight the notion of diversity in its cultural, artistic and social aspects. We promote emerging artists and confirmed artists, from here and elsewhere. We have of course artists from overseas but also from the five continents, painters, sculptors and photographers for example”, explains Melissa Biron. “Art Freedom has already exhibited at the Carrousel du Louvre, at the Espace Pierre Cardin, and of course at the Grand Palais where we are at our sixth edition. In 2024, we will also have a space dedicated to the Overseas Territories.” Here are the overseas artists present this year at the Grand Palais Éphémère.
Régine Séraphin was born in Martinique to parents from Guadeloupe and Dominica. Self-taught in painting, the majority of his works are devoted to West Indian heritage. “I make discover landscapes of Guadeloupe, Martinique, and I will carry out others for the other islands. I want to arouse the curiosity to travel in our territories”, she said to Outremer La 1ere. “Through my paintings I also want to reflect everyday reality and bring out the interiority of people”.
Regarding the painting presented at the Salon, “Le Dilem”, she explains: “The sketch dates from five years ago and I finalized it very recently. What I wanted to reflect is that any type of generation can be found in this painting. There are four staircases which represent four trajectories. It’s up to you to choose. I also represent a sun in Ying and Yang, ie the balance of the world. We also see a starry night because I think it’s the night that we think best to make decisions. I myself often work at night, a source of inspiration”, adds Régine Séraphin.
Roger Palie is from Sainte-Anne in Guadeloupe. He has been painting for twenty years. He started as an autodidact before taking lessons at the Atelier Pierre Soulages in Charenton-le-Pont where he perfected his style. “I was fishing on color mixing and perspective and that really brought me a plus”he says.
“I paint by feeling, according to what I feel”, explains Roger Palie. “As soon as I feel that click, where an emotion is happening, that’s when I start. I don’t have anything predefined. I can paint on the West Indies as on the Eiffel Tower. What interests me is the mixture of colors, which exist in multitude in the world, with a solar side.” For his work, Roger Palie received a prize from the town of Maisons-Alfort and he is working on an exhibition project in Sainte-Anne in Guadeloupe.
Art Capital, from February 15 to 19, 2023
Grand Palace Ephemeral
2 place Joffre, 75007 Paris
Space B2-B5 at the Independent Artists’ Fair for overseas painters
