“Art doesn’t transform the world, it doesn’t make it uglier or more beautiful, it bears witness to it.”
A Journey Through Art, Nature, and Thought
Born in 1968 in the south of France, Christophe Avella Bagur spent his formative years immersed in the natural world, a setting that nurtured both his curiosity and artistic inclinations. From an early age, he envisioned two possible futures for himself: one as an astronomer gazing into the vastness of the cosmos, and the other as an artist exploring the depths of human expression. Art ultimately prevailed, leading him to pursue formal studies at the University of Aix-en-Provence and later at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he earned a pre-PhD in 1992. That same year, he began exhibiting his work in Paris, marking the start of a prolific career that would see his creations displayed across more than eighty exhibitions worldwide.
His artistic journey has been deeply intertwined with travel, using photography as a means of documenting the places he encountered. This visual exploration took him across continents and eventually led him to Japan, where he spent a year between 1999 and 2000 in the coastal city of Fujisawa, south of Yokohama. During this time, he taught French while immersing himself in the study of sumi-e, a traditional ink painting technique. The experience left a lasting imprint on his approach to art, influencing the creation of Floating Souls (Les âmes flottantes) in 2003, a series that remains an ongoing exploration of identity and transformation. Alongside his visual work, he ventured into literature, publishing a collection of poetry and several novels, including 51 Tons of Life and Les baies rouges d’églantiers. Today, he continues to live in the south of France, where he balances his artistic practice with an enduring connection to nature.
Christophe Avella Bagur: Bearing Witness to the Human Condition
At the heart of Avella Bagur’s artistic vision lies an unwavering focus on the human condition. His work does not seek to embellish or distort reality but instead serves as a reflection of contemporary existence, capturing the complexities of identity, technology, and societal transformation. He describes his paintings as realistic—not in the traditional, nineteenth-century sense, but akin to photography, offering a level of immediacy that encourages viewers to engage with his subjects on a personal level. By employing dimensions that closely mirror the human form, he enhances this sense of relatability, drawing inspiration from the sculptural proportions of Classical Greek statuary.
His Face Floating Souls series exemplifies this exploration, presenting figures that exist in a liminal space between the human and the artificial. This body of work is particularly concerned with the implications of technological advancements and globalization, posing fundamental questions about individuality in an era of mass connectivity. What does it mean to be a singular being in a world of eight billion? How do humans navigate an age of rapid change, where civilization’s power extends to both creation and destruction? Rather than offering answers, Avella Bagur’s work acts as a historical record of our time, chronicling these shifts through art.
For him, art is not about altering the world but about bearing witness to it. He sees his paintings as modern history paintings, documenting the present rather than drawing inspiration from the past or projecting into the future. His engagement with these themes places him within a lineage of artists who have sought to capture the spirit of their era. Through his work, he challenges viewers to confront the defining issues of contemporary society, making art not just a medium of expression, but a means of contemplation and dialogue.
The Studio as a Space for Creation and Reflection
A crucial element in Avella Bagur’s artistic process is the environment in which he works. Recently, he completed the construction of a new studio within a vast barn dating back to 1830, a project he undertook himself to ensure the space met his precise needs. High ceilings and ample room allow him to move freely between different disciplines, from painting and drawing to modeling and sculpture. His workspace is deliberately dimly lit, a choice that enhances his focus on subtle color gradations and intricate details. Natural light plays a crucial role in his work, shaping his perception of hues and textures as it shifts throughout the day.
Books are a constant presence in his studio, serving as a source of knowledge and inspiration. A firm believer in the power of the written word, he considers literature an essential companion to his artistic practice. His love for reading extends beyond passive engagement—he actively contributes to art criticism through a blog he has maintained for over a decade and a radio program dedicated to discussions on art. These intellectual pursuits inform his work, reinforcing his commitment to art as a space for both creation and reflection.
Beyond the studio walls, nature remains a vital force in his life. Living on the edge of a forest, he shares his surroundings with wildlife, including deer, wild boar, and birds of prey. This deep connection to the natural world is not merely a backdrop to his practice but an integral part of his creative rhythm. When not working, he finds solace in activities such as trail running and lake swimming—moments of physical engagement that parallel his intellectual explorations. In both art and life, he embraces a dynamic balance between observation, thought, and action.
Christophe Avella Bagur: Influences, Mediums, and the Art of Tomorrow
Avella Bagur’s artistic influences span centuries and disciplines, reflecting his extensive study of art history. He traces his visual language back to the Flemish primitives, the dramatic chiaroscuro of Caravaggio, and the psychological depth of Goya. He is equally drawn to the technical mastery of Vermeer and Rembrandt, as well as the innovations of modern artists like Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Beyond painting, photography has played a crucial role in shaping his perspective, with figures such as Robert Frank, William Klein, and Duane Michals leaving a lasting impact. Literature, too, remains central to his worldview, with poets like Baudelaire and the early 20th-century Japanese writer Ishikawa Takuboku influencing his artistic sensibilities.
His approach to materials is equally diverse. Initially working with acrylic binders and hand-mixed pigments, he later transitioned to oil paint, which he considers the most versatile and expressive medium. However, his practice extends beyond traditional painting—his works in Indian ink incorporate Asian techniques, and his use of graphite achieves striking levels of depth. Though sculpture is a smaller component of his output, he has experimented with materials such as resin, steel, clay, and wood, treating them with a painter’s sensibility rather than a sculptor’s approach.
One of his most significant works, Face FS4 The Monk, embodies the fusion of his influences and ideas. Created in 2004, this painting marked the beginning of the Face Floating Souls series, blending humanoid and human elements in a way that redefined his artistic direction. The inspiration for this piece stemmed from his time in Japan, where he was captivated by Kabuki theater and the visual language of Bunraku puppetry. The result was a striking composition featuring a humanoid portrait interwoven with the image of a Shinto monk, rendered on a light-white background with a meticulous brush technique. This revelation set the stage for hundreds of works that followed, solidifying his exploration of identity, transformation, and the evolving nature of humanity.
Looking ahead, he envisions projects that integrate new technologies with painting, creating interactive experiences that further engage the viewer. While technical and financial constraints may currently limit these ambitions, he remains undeterred, seeing artistic thought and intention as the true driving forces behind meaningful work. His focus remains on the present, on the act of creation itself, and on contributing to an artistic legacy that spans millennia.
