n°69

Gérard Zlotykamien, born in 1940 in Paris,
has developed an artistic practice deeply influenced by human tragedies and injustice. Since 1963, he has been engaging with public space through his « Éphémères, » ethereal figures symbolizing the fragility of existence and the memory of those who have disappeared.
« I paint characters in their simplest expression. I remove all ornamentation. To explain this, I will refer to a quote from Nietzsche (it sounds fancy) that I read somewhere, which says: ‘There are people who stir the water to make it seem deeper.’ Well, I do exactly the opposite. I make it clearer. I strive to go to the minimum. My paintings are syntheses.
I am a painter of the ephemeral; I don’t believe things are permanent. Everything is ephemeral, even if it lasts for millions of years. The lifespan of my works in the street has never been important to me. What matters to me is the philosophical thought behind it and what remains of it. Because something always remains somewhere, for someone. A memory, a feeling, a trace. In reality, my spontaneity is deliberate. » Gérard Zlotykamien, Sur nos murs, 40 Years of Graffiti with agnès b., Textuel Editions