31.08. - 30.09.2023

Galerija "Māksla XO"

Elizabetes iela 14, Rīga, LV 1010

MICHEL CASTAIGNET

Deafening Din

“This exhibition features ten large charcoal drawings depicting people asleep amidst loud and chaotic parties.
The inception of “Deafening Din” originated from my strong desire to draw, particularly with charcoal, a medium that holds a special place in my heart due to its intense blackness. While researching for artistic inspiration, I stumbled upon a striking photograph taken at a festival a decade ago. The image captured a young man sound asleep, undisturbed by the loud noise around him. This vision immediately resonated as an allegory of our present time, marked by conflicts and ecological catastrophes.
“Deafening Din” explores why individuals find deep slumber amidst noisy and tumultuous environments. Through these ten charcoal drawings, the exhibition delves into scenes from parties, gatherings, and social events, where people appear paradoxically isolated from the cacophony yet intimately connected with their surroundings.
The artworks exhibited invite visitors to contemplate the human condition in a hyperconnected and noisy world, where extreme fatigue, intoxication, or other factors can plunge individuals into restful sleep despite the clamour surrounding them. Breathing life into these dreamlike charcoal scenes, I try to provoke introspection about solitude, social connection, and how we seek inner calm amid perpetual turmoil.
We extend a warm invitation to experience this unique and captivating exhibition, where art and contemplation converge to express a poetic outlook on our dreadful modern era” ˗ Michael Castaignet, 2023

Michel Castaignet’s (1971, Paris, France) extensive knowledge of art history and his love of art history allow him to work in different styles and cause constant search, motivating him to move from one series of artworks to the next. In recent years, the artist has been interested in graphically simplifying the complexity of the art world, looking for new links between drawing and painting. He is interested in the abstraction history of the fifties’; he’s always been keen on Greenberg’s concepts about figurative means, producing works that are both formal and representational. The paintings of Michel Castaignet follow the logic of collage and recall the systems of Buren. However, Michel Castaignet chooses the characters of his works himself.
Michel Castaignet received a Master’s in Aesthetics and Theory of Arts at Middlesex University (2001). He has organized 15 solo shows in France, Latvia and Russia and participated in more than 40 group exhibitions in France, Latvia, Russia, Austria, Lithuania, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. He regularly exhibits his works in the Maksla XO Gallery in Riga and the projects of the Nivet-Carzon Gallery in Paris. Since 2021 Michel Castaignet regularly participates in the projects of the artist group AAMBULANZ KOLLEKTIV in Berlin (https://aambulanzkollektiv.com/)
Michel Castaignet currently lives and works between Berlin, Champagne and Syracuse.