Bali (dawn)

Mattéo Nicoli, born in 2000, lives and works in Amiens. A French visual artist, Mattéo graduated in Fine Arts, where he developed an open mind and a deep understanding of art. Although his academic training has nurtured his interest in art, he remains largely self-taught, perfecting his technique through experimentation and personal exploration. Initially interested in graphic design, Mattéo gradually broadened his skills beyond the digital to create physical works. His works are distinguished by their abstract gradations in a vast palette of vibrant colors, inspired by the minute variations of light and color in the sky throughout the day and night. These works plunge the viewer into contemplative, dreamlike atmospheres. Mattéo's works are conceived as symbolic portals, opening onto imaginary worlds, inviting escape and contemplation. His work is influenced by renowned artists such as James Turrell, Jan Kalab, Kean and Nick Thomm, as well as the Street Art and Light and Space movements. Mattéo places at the heart of his work the study of perceptual phenomena, notably light and space, creating atmospheric effects that add an immersive dimension to his art.

My artistic work focuses on the relationship between Man and the immensity of the world, which I seek to express through canvases that act as windows onto it. I paint mainly with spray paint, but I also use acrylic brushes and sometimes resin to create abstract works that fit into the Light and Space movement. The landscapes I depict are essentially fragments of sky at different times of the day, mainly when the light is changing, such as at dawn or dusk. Through simple gradations, sometimes almost monochromatic, I try to capture the very essence of immensity. The sky, in its apparent simplicity, turns out to be a subject of infinite complexity, where every tiny nuance tells a different story. My canvases are intended to reflect this immensity, shown through subtle gradations that may appear simple, but which, in their simplicity, invite the viewer to feel the grandeur of the world. In opposition to this vastness, Man, implicitly represented by his smallness in the face of these celestial expanses, is called upon to confront his own insignificance.

My aim is to show that what may seem simple, like a gradient or an almost monochromatic canvas, can contain a depth and meaning as vast as the sky itself. In short, my art is an exploration of immensity through simplicity, an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes, and to recognize beauty and grandeur in what seems, at first glance, modest and uncluttered.