Fabien Marchand: French Painter Transforming Dubai's Art Scene

Post by : Raina Nasser

By Dr. Amrinder P Singh, for ArtDomain A50 — Dubai

Inception of a Visionary Artist.

Rouen, Normandy — a city where morning fog from the English Channel embraces centuries-old Gothic structures. It was within these enchanting surroundings that Fabien Marchand first experienced the dichotomy of light and shadow, long before he grasped his first brush. “Growing up near the sea instilled a sense of history in me,” he reflects, his voice carrying a calm wisdom. “Perhaps it was during school trips to the Gardens of Versailles that I first realized beauty communicates beyond words.”

Marchand was showered with inspiration from a family that encouraged intellectual curiosity; his early influences were not renowned painters but two uncles whose paint-smeared hands ignited in him a lasting passion. “Visiting their studios was like entering another realm — a place filled with colors and tools whispering untold stories,” he reminisces.

This initial exposure to artistry set the course for his aspirations. “I never formally studied fine arts,” he confesses with a soft grin. “What I learned came from an insatiable thirst for knowledge through books, dialogues, and experience. Art has become my second language, transcending life’s clamor.”

Turning Curiosity into Creative Passion

Fabien’s childhood was marked by the simple pleasures of exploration — biking through meadows, wading in rivers, crafting secret hideaways. Yet, beneath this innocence lay a profound fascination with rhythm, pattern, and sound. “Music was my first love,” he shares. “It moves like color, painting the air itself.”

He later discovered that this intertwining of melody and motion was a perpetual theme in his visual art. Recalling his first painting, he chuckles. “It was a small abstract piece — a Naples yellow backdrop with aubergine purple forms. Even back then, I was striving to achieve a balance between simplicity and emotion. That canvas still decorates my in-laws’ house — representing a dialogue between instinct and intellect.”

The Freedom of Creation

When it comes to his artistic style, Fabien Marchand rejects categorization. “I have no defined style,” he asserts. “To label one is to imprison imagination.” Each of his new creations becomes an act of rebellion against monotony — a spontaneous expression of freedom. “People often say, ‘You’ve altered your style.’ I respond, ‘No, I have maintained my freedom.’”

The creative journey often begins for him with a black background. From this darkness, color emerges. “Black allows other colors to resonate,” he explains. “It’s the prelude to a symphony.” He then follows his intuition, giving way to instinct and emotion. “Thought yields to spontaneity, and from that spontaneity, freedom is born.”

Tools become extensions of his creativity. “Every knife and brush feels familiar to me,” he expresses with reverence. “They are companions that understand the pressure of my hand.”

His artwork pulses with energy — colors dance in constant motion. “Movement and energy characterize my pieces,” he reflects. “They embody the essence of the human spirit.”

The Colorist’s Heart

Critics often dub Fabien Marchand a color poet. He acknowledges, “Color encompasses emotion; it evokes memory.” Shades like blue, yellow, and black are to him not mere hues but vibrant sensations. “When starting a new series, I select the palette. The harmonies and contrasts are where feelings begin.”

The sea, seasons, and landscapes frequently influence his artistic narrative. “The sea communicates a universal language — it offers serenity,” he muses. “During chilly months, I find warmth in solitude within my studio; in summer, I carry my watercolors to the beach. Nature’s rhythm becomes my heartbeat.”

Unlike many contemporaries diving into the digital realm, Fabien cherishes the tactile experiences of paint and canvas. “Digital art lacks the scent of turpentine, the texture’s touch. Sensation is everything. Painting should be felt with the hand, not mediated by a screen.”

Atelier Marchand — The Unity of Two Spirits

If freedom marks Fabien’s individual journey, Atelier Marchand symbolizes his artistic growth. Collaborating with his brother Olivier embodies a connection akin to shared telepathy. “Wholly, we form a third artist — one that exists beyond our physicality, manifesting through our combined efforts.”

Their inaugural exhibition at a friend’s restaurant, La Gannerie, in France was transformative — numerous canvases displayed, throngs of visitors, and initial sales. “That day altered everything,” he recounts. “Witnessing strangers moved by our art was like touching another heartbeat.”

Since then, their artworks have traversed far beyond borders — to Ecuador, where their creations journeyed through cities they’ve yet to explore. “To consider that someone across the globe might connect with your brushstroke is the miracle of art.”

Today, Fabien collaborates with creative minds from Germany, Tunisia, and Mali, expanding the ethos of Atelier Marchand into a truly international artistic movement. “Collaborative creation invigorates me,” he shares. “It’s about exchanging passion while honoring individuality. Art flourishes in dialogue.”

ArtDomain A50 — A Fusion of France and Future

As the premier French artist selected for Dubai’s A50 initiative under ArtDomain, Fabien Marchand epitomizes the connection between European tradition and Middle Eastern ingenuity. “It’s both an honor and a challenge,” he remarks with pride. “To represent France within this constellation of fifty artists worldwide reminds me that art speaks the most universal language.”

For him, art transcends verbal language. “Anyone can appreciate a painting,” he clarifies. “Its lexicon is composed of color, movement, and silence.”

His intrigue with contrasts — silence and action, light and obscurity, time and eternity — encapsulates his present phase. “Time is infinite,” he muses. “Waves dictate its rhythm. Depicting them is a means to embrace that sweet chaos — the endless journey of existence.”

He embraces Dubai not merely as an architectural marvel but as a beacon of human aspiration. “To engage with the Middle East is to engage with the future,” he states.

A Humanist with a Universal Canvas

Beyond mere techniques and accolades, Marchand’s fundamental legacy is rooted in humanism. “Art creates pathways to peace,” he acknowledges gently. “Similar to music, it comforts the soul.” His philosophy condenses into three key tenets: Reflection. Eclecticism. Sensitivity.

When asked how he hopes audiences feel in front of his artwork, he replies confidently: “Surprise! It’s the most genuine emotion. Surprise stirs instinct, bypassing intellect and communicating with the heart.”

If one of his pieces were to grace a museum centuries from now? Fabien beams, his eyes illuminated with humility.
“I would wish for the plaque to simply read — Enjoy your time. Because that’s what art offers: a moment suspended between the observer and eternity.”

The Cycle of Renewal

For Fabien Marchand, the act of creation is perpetual. Each completed artwork hints at the birth of another. “Concluding a painting isn’t an end,” he states. “It’s the promise of what comes next.”

In this endless whirl of exploration, discipline, and wonder, Marchand not only identifies as an artist but emerges as a philosopher of freedom — one who paints not to capture life, but to release it.

From Normandy’s enigmatic light to Dubai’s dazzling skyline, his journey illustrates that art serves as the genuine passport to infinity.

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