Although the beauty and
elegance of Buddha has inspired many artists in their
work, French artist Jean-Marc Huss distinguishes himself
from others by the remarkable in which he transfers onto
the canvas not only the profound beauty of these dignified
faces but also a spiritual presence and timelessness.
The exhibition “Above & Beyond” opened
last Sunday evening and the Alila Ubud Art gallery space
turned into a peaceful sanctuary with Huss’s canvases
looking benignly at guests.
 Jean-Marc
Huss has lived in Phuket – Thailand for 26 years
and has earned an international reputation for painting
images of the Buddha, often on a monumental scale.
As a frequent traveler, he takes photographs of Buddhas
in monasteries and temples wherever he goes, as models
for his future paintings. He also lived with Buddhist
monks to understand more about Buddhist philosophy, thus
gaining the inspiration to capture different representation
of the Buddha on canvas.
He explains: “My interest is first and foremost
aesthetic…I’m taken by the beauty of the image.
But very soon I also think about its history. Who crafted
this jewel and what has it seen in five centuries in Siam?
Why does it have the magnetic calm that only a few pieces
possess?”
The artist pays particular attention to the individual
quality of each Buddha image, their different postures
and gestures as well as the materials from which they
are made. By using oil paint, gold leaf and other ingredients
which he doesn’t reveal, plus a highly developed
technique, he transfers even the ‘textural effect’
such as stone, wood, bronze, ivory and clay to the eyes
of the viewer. An impeccable photo-realism oil painting
technique and a mastery of light and shade are the qualities
for which Jean-Marc Huss’s paintings are so admired
all over the world.
Jean-Marc collects and paints the Lords of the East between
long monsoon retreats in forests and monasteries and his
exhibitions which have already taken him to Jakarta, New
York, Miami and Hong Kong earlier this year.
For a spiritual and beautiful journey, serenity and calm…”Above
and Beyond” is definitely not to be missed.
The exhibition runs until December 29th…
Alila Ubud Gallery
Desa Melinggih Kelod -Payangan - Ubud
Ph: 0361 975 963
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