“I particularly enjoy working on intuition, movement, and aesthetics, integrating elements of ecology, rather than aiming to convey a specific emotion or message..”
Textured: The Engineer Turned Artist
Antonin Riggi, better known in the art world as Textured, presents a unique journey from a trained engineer to a contemporary painter. At 30 years old, Antonin’s transition into the realm of art in 2020 marks a significant shift in his professional and personal life. His background in engineering, a path chosen partly by default and external influences, laid a foundation for his artistic evolution. Initially inclined towards graphic design, Textured’s early interest in beauty, color, and textures hinted at his inherent passion for creative expression. Despite growing up in an environment not deeply rooted in art, his unmistakable attraction to the artistic freedom of graphic creation was a beacon guiding him towards his true calling.
Textured’s professional foray into the creative industry began with a role as a Product Designer. This position allowed him to inch closer to his artistic aspirations. In 2020, a significant turn occurred when he joined “Les Arts Ponctuels,” an association fostering collaborative creativity among artists from various disciplines. It was here, amidst this vibrant community, that Antonin’s artistic persona, Textured, began to take shape. Inspired by pop culture, his initial foray into graphic works soon led to a profound connection with painting. October 2020 marked the beginning of his painting journey with the purchase of his first canvases and brushes. This moment of serendipity quickly blossomed into a deep love affair with the art form, as he immersed himself in daily painting practices, exploring new techniques and refining his unique style.
A Triptych of Artistic Expression
Textured’s artistic style is a vivid tapestry woven from his love for geometry, colors, and an array of diverse techniques. His initial creations, deeply rooted in the geometric “hardedge” style, reflect his Cartesian temperament and engineering background. However, not one to be confined within rigid boundaries, Textured soon ventured beyond his comfort zone. He embarked on an explorative journey, delving into a myriad of techniques and materials. This phase of experimentation, involving paint splatters, acrylic sprays, dripping, stencils, and more, was not just a broadening of his artistic skill set, but also a journey of self-discovery. It was during this period of creative liberation that Textured’s three main artistic realms began to crystallize.
The first realm, Urban works, showcases a fusion of geometric precision and street art’s intuitive techniques, capturing the dynamic interplay of harmony and chaos. In his Fluid works, Textured embraces the spontaneity of fluid acrylic techniques, celebrating the magic of intuitive brushstrokes and the emotional freedom they convey. Lastly, his Textured works are a homage to his namesake, where nature and architecture inspire him to create compositions rich in relief and natural contrasts. Each of these realms stands as a testament to Textured’s commitment to artistic diversity, allowing him to navigate seamlessly between different styles and moods. His preference for vibrant color palettes, often juxtaposed with pure black, adds a striking visual dimension to his work, underscoring his belief in the emotive power of colors and textures.
The Inspirational Canvas of Textured
Antonin Riggi’s artistic journey as Textured is marked by a distinctive approach that questions traditional pathways in art. Being self-taught, with no formal training in art and having grown up in an environment not steeped in artistic culture, Antonin brings a fresh perspective to the canvas. He candidly admits the need to further develop his understanding of art history’s classics. Yet, he poses a thought-provoking question: “Do you really need to know art history inside out to be able to create something unique?” This rhetorical inquiry underlines his belief in the innate ability to craft unique art irrespective of one’s depth in historical art knowledge. It speaks to his philosophy that originality can emerge from personal experiences and individual creativity, not just from a thorough grounding in traditional art forms.
This outlook reflects in the thematic diversity of his work. Antonin’s art transcends traditional thematic boundaries, embracing modern issues such as ecology and the overwhelming nature of choice in contemporary society. His works like “Burning Echo,” “Floor is Lava,” and “Find it!” highlight environmental concerns, while pieces like “Happy Path,” “Which Path?,” and “Why Not?…” delve into the psychological intricacies of decision-making in our option-saturated world. His approach, blending self-taught techniques with a keen observation of society, allows him to create art that is not only visually striking but also rich in meaning and relevance to current global and personal narratives.
Antonin’s Artistic Sanctuary and Future Aspirations
For Textured, his workspace is an extension of his artistic psyche – a controlled chaos where creativity thrives. Despite what may seem disorganized to an onlooker, Antonin finds a unique order in the arrangement of his studio. Each item, no matter how seemingly out of place, holds its own in his creative realm. This organized disarray is essential to his artistic process, allowing him to immerse himself fully in his work. While music is not a constant in his studio, it does find its way into his creative sessions, adding another layer to his artistic flow. Once he enters this state of deep concentration, Textured becomes oblivious to distractions, fully engrossed in the act of creation.
Looking towards the future, Textured is brimming with ambitious project ideas. One such dream is to host a solo exhibition themed around textures, blending the realms of photography and painting. This exhibition aims to celebrate the often-overlooked beauty in everyday textures, encouraging viewers to find poetry in the mundane. Another aspiration is a series of sculptures on schist, titled “Fragment,” which narrates the tales of a space traveler. Each fragment in this series is envisioned as a gateway to different universes, showcasing Antonin’s penchant for storytelling through diverse artistic mediums. These future projects reflect not only his artistic versatility but also his desire to continuously evolve and explore new horizons in art. As he stands at the cusp of these new endeavors, Textured remains a dynamic and evolving artist, ever ready to surprise and captivate the art world with his multifaceted creativity.
