Alain Castoriano is an established French painter based in the US. Crowded, colourful forms amass on his canvas, battling for space and demanding the viewers' attention. Alain's abstract works stand out for their defiant blend of colour and shape. His pieces, to quote, are not "paintings" but more "things". His compositions are not "images" or fictitious realities; they are objects in their own right.
It's been 15 years since the start of your ongoing Visual Fields series. How did it begin, and how has it changed over time?
My desire for artistic production has always responded to my need to occupy the space I inhabit… to be present.
With the Visual Fields series, I therefore began by occupying the space of the canvas as much as possible… a way of “marking my territory”.
For this series my colour palette has evolved in a freer and less conventional way.
Outside of that series, in works like 'We're later and I still don't understand', there seems to be more freedom in the forms you paint. How do you see the difference between different bodies of your work?
Over the last couple of years, my work has taken a more organic turn. I don’t see this as “a change”, but rather an evolution – in the Darwinian sense. I felt the shapes and colours I was creating needed to break free from the geometry of the canvas and start to lead their own lives. Their transformation has resulted in more gestural and dynamic objects.
More and more, in works like Mambo #5, your practice has started to incorporate sculptural elements and use materials like acrylic and wooden panels. How have you found this transition?
My recent use of sculptural elements combined with some of my works is the consequence of this search for movement. Adding three-dimensional elements allows a work to "float" in space.
How do you see this evolution continuing?
This technique is particularly suitable for murals and large projects… my ambition is to “make the walls dance”.
Many of your works are diptychs or triptychs, some with different sized canvases. Have you always worked in this way?
I actually started making diptychs and triptychs a few years ago. This structure brings dynamism and energy to my works and to the space that surrounds them.
What does a normal day in the studio look like for you?
In the morning at home, I answer emails, connect with galleries and collectors, I also work on my social media updates and infos. I concentrate on research work (sketches, colour tests, collages, etc).
So when I arrive to my studio in the early afternoon, I can essentially focus on what I am going to produce during the day.
What/who influences you?
I left France sixteen years ago to settle in Miami where I have been living ever since.
This still adolescent city in constant evolution is an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
The mixture of cultures, the thousands of individual stories, the overflowing energy, the saturation of colours, the tropical vegetation, the light and sounds, are permanent stimuli that you must learn to channel.
Are there any other Rise Art whose work you are enjoying at the moment?
I like the way artworks are presented on the RiseArt platform. The interface is simple and elegant.
At the moment I am particularly interested in the work of…
LOBO VELAR OF IRIGOYEN; I like his use of simple shapes and his management of space.
ASHLEY HANSON; whose use of bright colours on large formats I really appreciate.
RUTH PHILO; whose minimalist use of color and texture effects I like.
MARK METCALFE for his representation of the human body without concession.
Are you currently working on any exciting new projects?
These days I focus on mural and large scale projects (hotels lobbies, building entrance, etc.) because my visual vocabulary and colour palette are perfectly adapted to these supports; especially by including sculptural elements.
