Objects Erotiques

Another variation on the theme of pears (see "Morceau en forme de poire I"). I often draw pears just as a celebration of what they are. "Objets érotiques" means "erotic objects".

I have a passion for pears. The sensuality, joyfulness and elegance of their shape is very seductive to me. If life itself could be summarized in a three-dimensional object, I think it would be a pear!

"Morceau en forme de poire" is the title of a piano piece by 20th century French composer Erik Satie, one of my favourite artistic characters. I had my pear artistic revelation thanks to Erik Satie, while at the Royal College of Art: as one of the first assignments of my Masters degree, our head teacher played a piece of music, and we were to make something based on what it inspired us.

I instantly recognized the piece, as it was one of Satie's "Gymnopédies": indeed, when we were sick, as children, my father would put on some Satie to comfort us, since it is very gentle music. I hadn't listened to Satie for years until I heard it again in that classroom and recognized it "in my flesh", almost.

The assignment became the opportunity for me to dive into the works and personality of Satie, and I rediscovered his music and the surreal titles he gave to his pieces, one of which being "morceau en forme de poire" or, "piece in the shape of a pear". The image spoke to me; what I produced for that assignment involved pears, and pears became a foundational piece of my visual lexicon since then.