Interview
Serge Miquel
Serge Miquel is a contemporary modern artist, born in Paris, France (1973), grew up in Santiago de Chile, Lima, Peru and New York City.
He developed a unique style bringing the attention of prominent art collectors in New York City and Hollywood celebrities around the world who have purchased and acquired his works since 2009.
Serge Miquel has never had his own solo exhibition, although he's working exclusively with fashion designer, Timo Weiland to bring into reality a new project in mind.
At this moment in his life, Serge Miquel lives, as he describes it; “In an absolute luminous obscurity.”
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born in Paris, France, grew up in Chile, Peru and New York City. Well, officially in 2009, when I woke up one morning and begun drawing and painting while listening to classical music all day and all night. It was at a frenetic pace. It was powerful and insanely beautiful. There's was no tomorrow. It felt like the ‘Eternal Fountain of Youth and the Minotaur’s Labyrinth,’ all at once.”
What inspires you?
“Recognition. That gives me the fuel and confidence to strike even higher and bigger. It gives me the tools I need, it makes me feel present and conscious about my time here on earth. However, being recognized comes with a very high price-tag; one must be always generous and open minded. To help others, to feed society, to give back is essential to a well nurtured and transformative behavior. However, in order to fall in that category, the work must get always done first.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Yes, there are many underlying secrets. Secret languages we all use and have knowledge upon, consciously and subconsciously. Working on abstract works is my absolute liberation and freedom; where I simply am. ‘That is a Serge Miquel.’ Which is so ironic for me to say. Working on my figurative works, particularly, I become playful and omnipresent in order to control and manipulate the narrative I am trying to convey; secret symbols and a secret narrative. How rapidly can I bring you inside my world; sensuality, erotism, secret gardens, pure love, violent thoughts; my reality, our reality, everything has a place and space in my world. My emotions are sacred and I pay acute attention to my state of mind on a daily basis. Always clear-minded and focused, ready to start a new piece.”
How would you describe your work?
“Strange.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Not quite influence me; since when I first got started I had no idea what I was doing or creating. Nor I was self-aware of the ‘masters.’ At least not consciously. But, what I can share with your audience are the artists who I deeply admire: Jeff Koons, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring, to name a few. I find it fascinating to see how Warhol picked up the torch from Picasso and Dalí. And how Jeff Koons, dominated and bent American culture through subliminal conceptual game tournaments. Also, how Pollock took it to the next level with his dripping technique, which originated in Paris. So, there are powerful analyses to be observed.
I find it astronomically magical that Jean-Michel Basquiat, how he managed to break some very interesting social barriers, not of race, but from a ‘proper artistic formation and education’, into that secular group of artists he was part of and positioned himself without asking. Those signs are extremely powerful, when you know who you are as an individual, while many people will never quite agree with that type of attitude. You must show yourself and never look the other way when something simply is.”
What is your creative process like?
“It is a very simple process, just a long piece of paper and some pencils. And off I go.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The role of an artist in society, in my view, is to open people’s eyes to the beauty and the transformative power of art, both through the work itself and through sharing the ideas and stories behind it. Of course, every artist has their own purpose and mission, but for me, my artwork serves as a bridge to my subconscious, allowing new ideas, emotions, and visual languages to emerge and communicate with the viewer and the wider public. I believe that immersing oneself in art can be a form of mutilation, mutation, transformation, metamorphosis, and an opportunity to enter a deeper inner world through the raw experience of it, yet conceptualized. Much alike music, to touch and transform one’s life. In this sense, I believe art can have a profoundly positive role in society, encouraging greater reflection, imagination, and appreciation. Beauty or ugliness is not the point, while contributing to a more thoughtful, unevolved or chaotic transformation; ultimately, we are in control.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“No, I have not. However, there’s a key person in my life that has become one of my main artistic foundations in my career, since 2015. His name is Timo Weiland, a brilliant fashion designer from New York City. He owns several of my artworks, and has been introducing me to a vast number of collectors who have acquired my works, also mentioning me in a series of articles, such as Architectural Digest and WhiteWall Magazine, where he has been formidable interviewed. Recently, we teamed up for an amazing collab; Timo Weiland & Serge Miquel, stamping my abstract work, Primus I, inside the linen of his Bomber Jackets. We have developed something very special and unique, which I will be deeply grateful to him, always. Also, I discovered this art website where you can auction your artworks directly to the public. It is absolutely a discovery, is called; Indie Auctions. I'm auctioning the piece entitled Metamorphosis III. It is painted using oils on a deep grey vinyl sheet. It’s a large-scale work, and I love it!”
Instagram: @sergemiquel
