Following Laure Hatchuel-Becker around Gallery Elena Shchukina in Knightsbridge, the main theme of her paintings came across clearly to all those present. With recurrent ideas of joy, colour and love, the spirit of the art came together with the charisma and enthusiasm of the artist to create a truly uplifting event.
Hailing from France, Hatchuel-Becker was introduced to creating art from a young age and has spent time travelling through Australia. Her aboriginal influences are clear throughout all her pieces as they utilise the technique of dot painting, with a twist. Rather than using the traditional colours of yellow, brown, red and white to represent the elements, Hatchuel-Becker employs a range of bright and warm tones in order to fully express the world as she sees it, inviting the viewer to empathise with her art and understand her themes.
In addition to the manipulation of colour in her pieces, Hatchuel-Becker uses a tool she made herself to create a uniquely textured range of pieces. Through the use of a palette knife the art acquires irresistible texture; depending on where a viewer is stood the light and shadows change the pieces. With the works using tens of thousands of these points, the exhibition uses these two elements of art to combine the intricacy of texture with vibrancy of colour.
The array of tones used by Hatchuel-Becker brings out a joy and passion which was mirrored by the artist herself. Walking through the crowd in the gallery, it was clear to all there that each of the pieces represent a personal reflection of life, love and optimism for the artist. She took special care to describe the pieces featuring a mèduse, or jellyfish, as representative of the resilient and mysterious nature of life, while pieces such as Talking Head focused on the reflection of human nature – specifically on the way women think. Most striking of all was the time taken to explain the pieces Follow the Red Line I & II. Through the touching description of the ever changing nature of life it was clear to all present that Hatchuel-Becker’s art is not just a presentation of form and colour but how they can represent ordinary, day to day life.
The unique use of texture and combination of colours were well placed in Gallery Elena Shchukina. The curator, Elena Shchukina, creates a space which merges arts and interiors instead of a white-cube gallery, therefore bringing the art into a more human arena. Elena Shchukina added to the natural feel of the exhibition by sourcing pieces which reflected Hatchuel-Becker’s art, ranging through furniture by NOI Paris, a bespoke mirror by SICIS, a jewellery box by Agassy design, glasswork by Notorianni Designs and scarves designed by Yaelle Caplan and Shchukina herself. The passion for the paintings was actualised through Elena Shchukina’s attention to detail and her ability to mix striking paintings and gorgeous furniture and objects in a beautifully curated space.
The press opening for Laure Hatchuel-Becker: Form and Colour was an event that truly reflected the spirit of the pieces themselves. With Elena Shchukina and Laure Hatchuel-Becker discussing the art in depth with all those attending, the themes of joy and positivity were contagious, and the charisma and passion of all the paintings was successfully shared.
Laure Hatchuel-Becker: Form and Colour is on show at Gallery Elena Shchukina in Knightsbridge until the 6th of Sepetember 2014.
