Interview with Patrick Jannin

q) What is your name and what do you do?

a)Well, I’m Patrick Jannin. And to try to be me, day after day and in every circumstances is perhaps my favourite activity. And to preserve myself, I paint and draw and dream. I eat sometimes too, but that’s depend of the success of my exhibitions, so I don’t often eat … More seriously, I really work about identity and how to preserve it in a world where all is done to make you a clone of your neighbour. I don’t really like my neighbours, neither the sheeps …

q)When did you really get into art?

a)5 years ago, I decided to stop to work ( for money ). It wasn’t a good period for me to stop working because I was just a new and young Daddy of a new and young baby. But, I had to choose between my own health and a life full of lies but comfortable, as can have little dogs. So I left my job – I was working with people suffering of mental disease, and very quickly, my girlfriend leave me. O freedom, O immorality !

q)How did you come to the realization that you should try your luck at art on a more serious level?

a)I had no choice. I understand that it could sound stupid to say that for most of people (non-artist). But, as I was saying before, it wasn’t a rational decision. I was feeling more bad and violent and depressed day after day. Every morning, waking up and going to work and trying to feel happy, and all that just to earn money? All that just to be a good boy? Oh shit! It was just the best way to Hell for me. I can’t stand to lie to myself. Life is too short to do things that you don’t like and that you don’t need to. And all I need now, is to express myself by the way of art. It’s the lone solution I found to not become mad. I finally refused to be a slave or a prostitute. I’m not agree with the way of life that people have nowadays. I refuse to obey. Conformism make me afraid. It’s an insult to the human intelligence.

q)How did you discover the particular style that you have?

a)I never discovered my style. I always search to express my feelings in THE best way. In this case, the style isn’t the most important. My feelings always evolve. It’s like when you are searching for the just word. I like that. Where is the truth, and what is it ? There isn’t only one answer to the problem when you try to understand something to our behaviours and to the nonsense of the life.

q)How would you describe your style?

a)“a blend of 1950's big eyed girls and german expressionism” This expression is not mine. I just found it on a blog about my last exhibition. So, why not ? Actually, that’s true.

q)Who or what influences your art?

a)German expressionism, surrealism. I like very much Renascence too. The masters of that period of history of art were so talented ! But in a more general way, I’m also influenced by philosophy, people faces, old tales, mythologies, comics, hard-core, erotism, stupidity, fears, movies ... all that can impress me ... and I’m very sensitive ...

q)How often do you create a new piece?

a)When I need to create, things appear to me as a necessity. Sometimes, I’ve already got the picture in my head, another times, I just have the desire to paint. Then I take my pencil and make sketches till I find something that could interest me. But it’s very rare that I follow my first idea. To paint is like a travel. On my canvas, I will meet people, ideas, feelings that will make me change my direction, the sense of my reflexion. And because I’m curious, I try to go the far I can, till I discover a magic thing, a land where I can sit down and breathe in peace with myself. But if I can’t create, for any reason, I become anxious, nervous. When I draw, or paint, when I create, I forget everything. I’m free, not there at all, for anybody. I can live in a total abstraction then. There is me and my colours and my characters: MY WORLD. I can create and destroy all I want. I’m allowed to kill if I want to. There are no limit, no limit at all. Is that megalomania?

q)What kind of success have you had with your art?

a)Not all the success I would like to have! But, it’s normal. People, in my country, need to be reassured. They don’t like to be criticized for there way of life or there way of thinking. And even if they aren’t always conscious of that when they are in front of my paintings, I guess they feel I’m not there best friend. They can accept violence in art, if it’s “good” for them, because violence is cool. But to think isn’t fashionable. To think is definitively too violent! Most of people don’t really need to have a brain you know. The latest car is more useful. Further more, they often agree to say that they couldn’t live with my paintings in their living-room. Some of them even ask me if I can sleep! Finally, all of them always prove me that I am on the best way to not be like them. It’s a good thing for me, even if more money could help me!

q)What would be the ultimate goal for you and your art?

a)In a general way, if people try to understand that if we change the way we think, we can change our world, I guess I could be happy. But become rich and famous would also be a good goal …

q)What do you see as an accomplishment in the way of art?

a)Robert Filiou said : Art is what make life more interesting than art. I don’t know if I well translated what he said, but I totally agree with him.

q)What kind of message, if any, do you try to convey through your art?

a)Wake up! Stop to obey! Cultivate yourself! SURPASS YOURSELVES!

q)Sum up your art in one word.

a)Urgency

q)Any additional comments?

a)Or emergency

q)…your contacts…

a) http://www.patrickjannin.com/

www.flickr.com/photos/pjannin

http://www.universensualiens.com/ (about my philosophy, and what I try to do with some friends)

e-mail: pjannin@aliceadsl.fr