Patrick Cornée

Born in Toulouse, France in 1962, Patrick Cornée joined the marines at age 16 after being encouraged by his father who was a career military man. After six years spent navigating around the world, he returned to life as a civilian.

The greatest upheaval of his life was paradoxically the return to childhood: he returned to his early passion for drawing and the joy he felt in recreating the world as he saw it. He let his morose routine be shattered and enroled at the fine arts school of Toulon.

Cornée enjoys working with everything. From painting and engraving to collage and spray paint, his overflowing enthusiasm relies on the great working discipline he has upheld from his life in the marines. Propelled by the lively bursts he feels in going back to his childhood, he wanders from one style to the next and develops a joyful and colourful visual language in which themes such as dance, music, parties and fashion come together triumphantly.

His universe has many facets and is populated with spinning slender ballerinas, mocking dogs and icons drawn from Pop art. He depicts carefreeness and wants to show "how rich life is in beauty and love". His paintings are full of allusions to the contemporary world that he views with humour and good intentions. He has participated in many expositions throughout Europe, the United States and Asia in which his paintings, that echo of his love for life, have won over the most diverse crowds.