Stéphane Erouane Dumas in conversation with Editor in Chief Alice Zucca

In the quaint village of Varengeville-sur-Mer, nestled along the picturesque shores of Normandy, resides an artist whose creative spirit finds its muse in the enchanting embrace of nature’s bounty. Stéphane Erouane Dumas, a masterful painter and sculptor, draws inspiration from the rugged cliffs and lush forests of his surroundings, crafting works that weave together the organic allure of the landscape with his own unique vision. For Dumas, the birch tree stands as both subject and symbol, its bark echoing the mineral beauty of the cliffs that line the alabaster coast. “For several years, I’ve multiplied representations of birch trees,” he explains, “extracting from nature a vocabulary of shapes and colors to transform and magnify.” Through his art, Dumas transcends mere representation, inviting viewers on a journey of contemplation and introspection.

Yet, Dumas’s artistic palette extends beyond the bounds of Normandy, drawing from his travels across Northern Europe to enrich his creations. Whether capturing the serene lakes of Scandinavia or the rugged terrain of Iceland, his work exudes a hypnotic allure that blurs the line between figuration and abstraction. In addition to his paintings, Dumas’s sculptures pay homage to the natural world, serving as tangible expressions of his deep-seated connection to both the vegetal and mineral realms. From monumental bronzes perched atop seaside cliffs to installations that grace the grounds of historic estates, his work invites dialogue between art and environment. But the story of Stéphane Erouane Dumas extends beyond the canvas, resonating within the intimate sphere of family and creativity. With his wife Maïlys Seydoux-Dumas, a fellow artist, and their children, Pauline-Rose and Lucien, each pursuing their own artistic passions, theirs is a household steeped in the pursuit of artistic expression.

Recently, the Galerie Pierre-Alain Challier played host to “Septentrion,” a solo exhibition showcasing Dumas’s latest series of works. Comprising oils, sculptures, and works on paper, the collection celebrates the timeless allure of the plant and mineral kingdoms, reaffirming Dumas’s place as a master of capturing nature’s essence on canvas. As visitors immerse themselves in Dumas’s world, they are not mere spectators but fellow travelers, drawn into the hypnotic embrace of his artistry and the boundless beauty of the natural world. In the realm of Stéphane Erouane Dumas, art becomes a transcendent experience, a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the eternal allure of nature’s wonders.

Alice Zucca: Your exhibition “Septentrion” at Galerie Pierre-Alain Challier showcases a diverse range of works, including oils on canvas, sculptures, and drawings. What inspired the theme of this exhibition, and how does it relate to your broader body of work?

Stéphane Erouane Dumas:Let’s say it’s a follow-up to my solo show ‘Droites et courbes’ three years ago at the Pierre-Alain Challier gallery, which developed the theme of the mineral – the cliffs – and the vegetal with the landscapes of the birch forests. Septentrion refers to the North, and more specifically to the North Wind, a dreamlike title coined by the author Colin Lemoine. 

AZ: Birch trees and cliffs feature prominently in your art, described as ‘breathing lungs’ and embodying a mineral aesthetic akin to chalky cliffs. Could you delve into the significance of these natural elements in your creative process?

SED: The cliffs of Normandy, which I’ve been walking and drawing for nearly 40 years, are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. I see it as calligraphy in these great walls of chalk and flint, where nature invites us to decipher its mysteries. 

AZ: You mentioned drawing inspiration from the landscapes of Normandy, particularly Varengeville-sur-Mer, where you have a studio. How does your environment influence your artistic vision, and what draws you specifically to this region?

SED: Let’s just say that this subject infuses me with sensations and emotions. The difficulty lies in translating these emotions onto canvas, paper or even sculpture. And this region is very stimulating from a visual point of view. 

AZ: Your work seems to blur the line between figuration and abstraction, creating a contemplative and hypnotic experience for the viewer. Can you discuss how you navigate this boundary and what effect you aim to achieve through this fusion of styles?

SED: Yes, I’m on the border between these two great entities of painting, and this ‘in-between’ is infinitely rich. I would add that the subject ends up floating in an undefined space, whether you see sky, water or mist. 

AZ: Traveling to Northern Europe has also influenced your art, with elements from Norway, Finland, Lapland, and Iceland finding their way into your work. How do these landscapes differ from your surroundings in Normandy, and how do they contribute to the overall narrative of your art?

SED: The landscapes of Northern Europe, Finland, Lapland, Iceland and Norway, give me an interesting radicalism. In these immaculate landscapes, there was something of a challenge for the painter, namely the virtual disappearance of colour. And then these birch trunks, very black and white, offered me an obvious similarity with the striated cliff faces. 

AZ: In addition to painting, you also create sculptures that celebrate nature. Could you elaborate on the relationship between your two-dimensional and three-dimensional works, and how they complement each other within your artistic practice?

SED: Sculpture arrived more recently, 5 or 6 years ago. And I wanted to develop the theme of the cliffs, but in a different way.Working with clay and plaster gives me the opportunity to explore new directions.But let’s just say that it’s my work as a painter that feeds into the sculpture.7 / We have a son who is an architect and designer and a daughter who studied at the Beaux-Arts in Paris.And my wife is a painter. But each of us develops his own personal universe in his own way. What we have in common is perhaps our empirical approach to creation. 

AZ: Your family seems deeply involved in the world of art and creativity, with your wife and children all pursuing artistic careers. How does this familial environment influence your work, and do you collaborate with them on any projects?

SED: The sequential, minimalist music of Phil Glass or Max rRchter often accompanies me during my work: I perceive in this deployment of musical sequences a space-time conducive to the stretching of these great walls that are the cliffs. 

AZ: Music appears to be an integral part of your creative process, with composers like Miles Davis, Philip Glass, and Max Richter providing inspiration. How does music inform your art, and do you find parallels between the two forms of expression?

SED: All my work is nourished by the observation of nature. From nature I draw a vocabulary, an alphabet even.First there’s a phase of immersion and observation, then fairly informal notes are taken in notebooks. Then time does its work of decanting, trying to retain only the vision. 

AZ: What role does the environment play in the presentation of your sculptures, and how do you envision the interaction between your art and the natural world?

SED: All my work is nourished by the observation of nature. From nature I draw a vocabulary, an alphabet even.First there’s a phase of immersion and observation, then fairly informal notes are taken in notebooks. Then time does its work of decanting, trying to retain only the vision. 

AZ: Looking ahead, what themes or directions do you hope to explore in your future work, and how do you see your artistic practice evolving over time?

SED: I have no preconceived idea of the direction my work will take. I also leave a lot of room for chance and “accident” in the plastic sense of the term. I let the shapes come, and the feelings that go with them. I’d add that it’s often when a painting or sculpture is missed that another possibility takes shape.