Agnes Boulloche lives in a fantasy world (partially located in Ile de Re) where phantasmagorical creatures tell tales about humanity. Her colorful oil paintings full of elaborate allegorical details recall the Old Masters, while her art comes out as a unique mix of Modern Renaissance, contemporary Surrealism and Symbolism.
Agnes Boulloche, Licorne Rouge, 2005
Born in Paris, the artist spent her childhood in Morocco which put a mystical mark on her creativity. She became a knower of ancient legends and magical spirits, a traveler fond of the unusual. To navigate through this fantastic world you will need a guide as in a dictionary of symbols generously offered by the artist herself. Don’t expect blunt directions though, the dictionary is also a labyrinth of metaphorical meanings.
Note that the Animal is “always half-man, half-beast and more than human” and the Hat “houses the crazy ideas”. We are also given secretive advises: one should “use the Moon as a hood for better dreaming” and “to capture a Unicorn put a hood (cagoule) on its head than stick a fish in its horn; in lack of [] use a die’. Or “never leave a dog naked. It must be attired with a pretty dress hat or a starched lace collar; otherwise, it runs away.”
In my humble opinion Agnes Boulloche’s art is a gentle satiric commentary on humanity’s self importance and its absurd societal norms. I will let you discover other artistic meanings while wandering through surreal carnivals where “humanimal creatures are dancing, riding on each other and spinning their horned feet through the antique chessboards of extraordinary stone-paved gardens”.
