The Visitors
Giacomo de Pass (b. 1938) is a French painter and sculptor active in Paris in the 60s and 70s, known for his use of colours and mastery of lights. In this exhibition, he presents new body of works produced in Thailand between 2021 and 2022 in the midst of the pandemic.
While in Thailand, away from his usual surroundings and, essentially, from the reality, de Pass’ perception of the world was fused with imagination and a surge of memory from the past. The spirituality, mysticism and mythical stories commonly discussed amongst the locals were connected with his own memory, and provided a gateway for figures and characters from his past to return and interact.
Through a series of gouache and mixed media paintings, de Pass introduces a circus of anthropomorphic animals familiar to our eyes, yet at the same time seem slightly unusual. The dynamic movement of each figure, along with big, wide opened eyes, appear to represent the artist’s curiosity to the world and his playfulness towards his painting subjects. At times, the characters seem to be floating in a vortex, while at other times they interact through portals, like fourth dimension gate ways into the artist’s mind. While de Pass’ world seems so vibrant and vivid, the figures in it are also constantly shifting and moving, resulting in a swoosh of colours across the canvas, like a smoke of incense passing and fading in the air.
At first, this exhibition may mislead the audience into thinking the artist is a young painter presenting a ‘pop’ cartoon subject. But on closer inspection, it is an exhibition presenting the experience and the life of an artist that continues to experiment and explore new possibilities. His fascination towards mythical figures like Naga and Kinaree, often associated with traditional art style, are given a contemporary context, offering a dialogue that shows that they are still relevant to the Thai contemporary culture today.
Jongsuwat Angsuvarnsiri Co-founder, SAC Gallery
Rencontres à la Licorne
Encounters with a Unicorn
2021, 96.5 x 96.5 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Mensonges et Convoitises
Lies and Lust
2021, 96.5 x 96.5 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Rencontres et Dérision
Encounters and Derision
2021, 146 x 190 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Silence et Discretion
Silence and Discretion
2021, 96.5 x 96.5 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Les Charmes de la Dérision
The Charms of Derision
2021, 96.5 x 96.5 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
La Plume de la Rencontre
The Feather Encounter
2021, 146 x 190 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Rencontres aux Tigres
Encounters with Tigers
2021, 150 x 150 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Le Tigre Protecteur
2021, 150 x 150 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
Protective TigerDivinités Masquées
Masked Divinities
2021, 146 x 190 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
L’Allumeuse
The Teaser
2021, 96.5 x 96.5 cm, Painting, Acrylic on linen
La Séductrice
Seductress
2022, 54 x 38 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations I
Wanderings I
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations II
Wanderings II
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations III
Wanderings III
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations IV
Wanderings IV
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations V
Wanderings V
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations VI
Wanderings VI
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations
VII
Wanderings VII
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations VIII
Wanderings VIII
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations IX
Wanderings IX 2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations X
Wanderings X 2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XI
Wanderings XI
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XII
Wanderings XII
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XVIII
Wanderings XVIII
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXI
Wanderings XXI
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXII
Wanderings XXII
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXIII
Wanderings XXIII
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXIV
Wanderings XXIV
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXV
Wanderings XXV
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Fluctuations X
Fluctuations X 2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XII
Wanderings XII
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Divagations XXX
Wanderings XXX
2022, 38 x 28 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Effluves
et Couleurs X
Fragrances and Colours X
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Effluves
et Couleurs XI
Fragrances and Colours XI
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Effluves et Couleurs XII
Fragrances and Colours XII
2022, 38 x 54 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Effluves Canines
Smells and Dogs
2022, 54 x 38 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
Effluves et Couleurs XIII
Fragrances and Colours XIII
2022, 54 x 38 cm, Gouache, watercolour, coloured pencils on Japanese paper
