In Thierry Michelet’s paintings, the human form is not simply a static object but a complex and emotional expression of a being.  Even when the subject matter itself is distorted and fragmented, his portraits depict reality because the feelings they represent are common to the human experience.  

In particular, Michelet’s studies of the face exude intensity.  The black-and-white palette pushes this feeling even further by favoring stark contrasts over shades of grey.  The black and white wrestle on the canvas the way one’s mind sometimes wrestles with emotional trauma.   One can see in the dark eyes and twisted mouths of the individuals portrayed that they are grappling with their thoughts. Interestingly, the more colorful paintings, in warm tones of orange, beige, and pink, hide the subject’s face.  Here, it is the angles of the body that tell a story.  The nudes are shown at various angles and positions on the canvas as they stretch, bend, and contort their bodies. Thierry Michelet lives in Bordeaux, France.