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Artist statement

I like to think about my art as fragments of wall. I find myself extremely inspired by any form of visual art in the streets. I consider street art as one of the purest and most sincere ways of expressing ourselves. It represents an urgent need to create and share something that will be given to the world immediately. What fascinates me the most is the cohabitation of dozens of artists’ voices on the same wall. Individual pieces of art that would never have existed in a common universe but on this specific space. Some of these have a strong political message, some are just celebrating love, some might not even have any meaning, and that is the absolute beauty of it. Because everything that you feel the need to say can come to life, and has a chance to be shared and seen. 

I currently paint on raw unstretched canvas, I like how basic and natural it feels when I am starting a piece, just like a wall. I try to approach every painting without any fear of not doing it right and without any pressure. My paper is my playground and I intend to keep in there all my sketches, studies, first ideas, rectifications; co-existing all together on a tangible shared space. I have no limits because I can re-invent myself as much as I want. I am a multitude of artists at the same time. I don’t need/want to stick with any style or way of doing. Every spark of idea is given a chance to live. My work "Reception or interference?" is a great example of this multitude of ideas co-existing. A pencil sketch of a statue's head, delicate flowers painted, approximate abs drew with oil pastels, eyes marks made with charcoal... Nothing's coherent, but everything makes sense.

"Reception or interference?" 
Mixed media on paper - 100cm x 70cm

I was living in Valencia, Spain for a few months in 2024. This environment built me as an artist. Living in El Carmen, a neighborhood known for its street art, gifted me with so much inspiration and ideas. This place also gave me my first exhibitions and my first clients. This city will always have a special place in my heart.

 

I moved back to New York last February, in the city where I first considered myself as an artist. These few months in New York enabled me to meet new people, discover new inspiration and exhibit new pieces. You can find a lot of my art inspiration just by going on a stroll in the streets of Valencia or New York. I had the opportunity of participating to my first residency this summer, at Bushwick Gallery in Brooklyn for a full month. This residency helped me reach a momentum I’ve never experienced before, taking my artistic process to another level.

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A new chapter has begun for me in Paris. This September, I started a Master’s in Art Management at IESA Arts & Culture, alongside a position as a gallery assistant at Galerie La La Lande. This new dynamic feels truly enriching — I’m deepening my knowledge of art history, learning to navigate the fascinating world of the art market, and surrounding myself with art that truly fuels my creativity. This experience is giving me valuable context and perspective that will, with no doubt, shape me as an artist.

Maelis Tomassone © 2023. All rights reserved.

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