Year-Long Art Collaboration Highlights Local & International Talents
Raffles Le Royal Hotel and The Gallerist have launched a year-long partnership dedicated to showcasing the talents of local artists and those who have made Cambodia their home. The collaboration kicks off with an exhibition by the French artist Stan.
Stan, born in 1965 in Aix-en-Provence, France, is a self-taught artist who has made Cambodia his creative base. His journey into the art world began just a few years ago when he felt an irresistible urge to create something unique and unbound by conventional constraints. Without a specific concept in mind, he began to experiment with paint, letting the process of applying, erasing, and reapplying layers guide the evolution of his work.
“Painting for me is like a form of meditation,” Stan explains. “Abstract art invites open interpretation, which can be both beautiful and perplexing for many. Human nature often seeks to categorize and label things, but I view abstract paintings as a way to transport the viewer to another place, free from preconceived ideas.”
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Stan approaches each new painting without a predetermined direction, allowing the act of painting itself to dictate the outcome. By layering, scratching, and blending colors, he creates dynamic shapes that bring energy to the entire composition.
An artist vision
For his current series, Stan draws inspiration from his immediate surroundings—the jazz music that fills his studio, the rhythm of the traffic in the streets, and his leisurely strolls along the riverside.
Before turning to visual art, Stan pursued a successful career in the music industry. At 19, he left his hometown for London, where he established himself as a recording and mixing engineer. However, after years of creative unfulfillment, he decided to explore painting, adopting a technique reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s style. What began as an experiment soon became an obsession, with Stan dedicating up to five hours a day to his craft.
His work is influenced by renowned artists such as Gerhard Richter, Hans Hartung, Pierre Soulages, and Jack Whitten. Additionally, he draws inspiration from the vibrant colors and sensations of his tropical environment.
Stan’s abstract paintings are primarily created using oil on canvas, wood, or photographic paper, and lacquer paint behind glass. His technique involves applying multiple layers of oil paint with a squeegee, moving it vertically and horizontally across the surface while the paint is still wet. The overlapping colors and shapes create a visual depth, resulting in vibrant, textured works.
As a former sound engineer, Stan approaches his paintings like a composer crafting a musical score. Each color is carefully placed on the canvas like a musical note, with layers of vivid hues combining to create a harmonious and unique composition.
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Author: Tom Starkey
Tom Starkey is an International Development graduate from Sussex University with 12-years of experience across 4 continents, Tom's goal is that he wants to showcase his love for Cambodia, where he lives, works and now happily calls home.
