Val Escoubet: When Street Art Meets Modern Portraiture

Hi Valerie, thank you chatting with us today! Let's start with the basics…How did your artistic vocation come about?

I grew up in an artistic environment with a father who was both a draftsman and painter. I have therefore always had access to the material and knowledge that allowed me to experiment with multiple artistic techniques.

I did not commit to artistic studies at first. When it came to choosing a career orientation, I had not been swept up in painting. I first set out to study law. 

I continued to paint in my free time while I was studying and, later, working as a lawyer. As for the former, I was comforted in having a steady career and as for the latter, it reassured me.

And then one day, this ambivalence became more pronounced, my career took a dive, I almost burned out and everything fell apart. In a fraction of a second, it became obvious that I could never again practice civil law and that from now on I would devote myself to my art: a vital choice!

For 5 years now, my days and nights have been devoted to painting. I love getting up in the morning to mix my colors and use my brushes. In short, I have been making up for lost time. Since then, I have produced more than 200 works, they have been exhibited all over the world and above all, I am extremely happy.

How would you characterize your art?

All of my affection goes to my oil paints. I use acrylics for backgrounds only when when the desired effects can  be achieved through this medium.

The unctuousness of oil paint allows me to work in fade to obtain a smooth result without roughness. I thus obtain a very realistic effect.

I paint the portraits alla prima, in one piece. I only come back to it to accentuate some contrasts here and there. 

For the backgrounds, it is the opposite - I paint free-hand, without premeditation, by successive layers until the result pleases me.

Where do your creative juices flow?

I have a home studio which receives a lot of light. But to be honest, I don't care about the place and the atmosphere, because when I paint, I enter my little bubble and the world around me fades away. I could paint anywhere.

What makes you so drawn to Street Art?

I was born in Seine Saint-Denis where I spent most of my youth. I gravitated towards urban art, whether it's urban planning, design, music, painting, etc.

I witnessed the arrival of Hip Hop and the rise of Street Art. I was right in the middle of it. Even though I now live in the south of France, in the countryside, this culture remains close to my heart and is my main source of inspiration.

If you could meet one famous artist, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

You might expect me to mention a painter like Edward Hopper or a photographer like Robert Doisneau...Nevertheless, I would love to meet Gerhard Richter, whose abstractions are a huge source of inspiration for the composition of my backgrounds

Which painting are you most proud of?

I would say the Dance of Love, which is dedicated to the sensual tango. 

Therein, you can find everything I like in a composition: a pair of skilled dancers, passion, bodies in motion, but also a play of light and shadow that exacerbates the realism of the scene, with a bit of calligraphy in the background to give it a modern feel. It's the whole package and I'm very proud of it.