HOARD MAGAZINE - JANUARY 2004
INTERVIEW with artist CLAUDE MARQUIS
HOARD: When did you start painting? CLAUDE: I began to paint when I picked up a brush and started my first series, "The Teflon Father", 11 years ago. I was doing black/white photography prior. Although I enjoyed the solitude, I didn't enjoy the dark in the dark-room. Painting was the solution. HOARD: What did you wish to grow up to be when you were a kid? CLAUDE: As a kid I wanted to be a trophy-wife.
HOARD: Your work often depicts strong religious and spiritual themes. Why? What is your personal connection to religion and spirituality? CLAUDE: My depiction of religious themes is a dark horse to express. Alot of my themes are born from personal issues with certain experiences. Isn't it therapeutic when you can release your frustrations through an art form instead of carrying them around unable to voice out within a forum? Religion, in it's most pure form, can be a healthy antidote to the mad calamity of existing in an unforeseeable life-time. Life is rough, and spirituality is the soother. My gripe for many years has been the orthodox dogmas within all religions that twists and distorts the most basic fundamental teachings of loving, giving, and forgiving. I once met a guy in his 20's at a friend's hoe-down in south Florida who was a born-again Christian. I still get chills when I think of his eyes glazed over with his doctrines. He was courteous, kind, and socially adept. But this man truly believed Satan was speaking through me, when I opposed his views, and that I, as a non-believer of his faith, would be going to the tortures of Hell for eternity. Is this Christianity? Where were the real values of the teachings his Jesus taught? Why must one forsake reality within religious dogmas? When will humanity, finally, collectively see and make the difference between spiritual and religious beliefs? So you wouldn't know it, looking at it, but my painting of "Eve" was one way for me to express this question.
HOARD: You use family and friends as models for your paintings. Are they usually pleased with the way you choose to depict them in the paintings? CLAUDE: Most of the people who have modeled for me and find themselves in one of my paintings have been thrilled. It's easier to distance yourself from the idea of being "painted" when your portrait is transcended through a theme. In the "Crusades" series, my friend Benoit became God, the be header of John the Baptist and, a "john" of Mary Magdalene on canvas. So it's a portrait, but you may end up a goddess, a devil, a corpse, a witch, Blanche Dubois, or more recently a Nature Boy. Thrilling huh? Haven't heard anyone complain about their on-canvas identity as of yet. HOARD: Why is your work focused on portraiture? What is it about portraiture that fascinates you? CLAUDE: When I first began painting, figurative work seemed to me my biggest obstacle. Portraiture, within it's confines of symmetric resemblance of the model, was an even tougher challenge. I thought to myself that once I achieve this, I can place any person in any place or circumstance that my imagination will allow. The next challenge was to go beyond the simplicity of a portrait and making it another art form that carried ideas, atmosphere, and an impression of emotions. The fascination was the challenge.
HOARD: What artists have influenced your style of painting? CLAUDE: To be honest, I had no particular influences in the beginning, apart from my desire to paint the figure. Later I was introduced to the work of John William Waterhouse , when someone told me my paintings resembled his art. Wow. From then on I was hoping to capture the same essence, evidently through the portraits of the female models. Then again, do women holding guns have the same effect? HOARD: Coffee, booze or mineral water? CLAUDE: Water during the week, booze on the weekend. Coffee is for grown-ups. HOARD: Besides painting, what are some of your other passions and interests? CLAUDE: Music! If I'm not painting I'm listening to it, doodling on the piano, fiddling the guitar, composing melancholic masterpieces that only my head will hear. I also have a passion for fun social occasions, then I'm interested in retreating to a quiet place outdoors.
HOARD: Where do you think the world is going? Any future predictions? CLAUDE: Hmmmm. What a question! I think my own personal prediction is directly related to my current views on the politics of religion. Seems to me that science and religion must converge to make it a better place. Until then, you'll have a Bush elected by a religious vote, slashing your art funds, ruining your environment, and slaying your human rights laws. Until then, you'll have the Roman Catholic Church gripping onto outdated doctrines making it's followers sinful for the use of contraceptives and over-populating an already overwhelmed planet, and at the same time erasing the African continent of it's population through HIV and Aids. Until then you'll have the radicals in their religious fervor terrorizing the world. Until then you will have suicidal teenagers killing themselves for being gay. Shhh. I won't go on. The world is doing dandy. [ END ] ---- More about Claude Marquis HERE ---- |
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