the essential
Laurent Le Quang is exhibiting his very large formats in the Orangerie room of the Lectoure tourist office until Saturday June 22.
Laurent Le Quang is a very large format artist. His art is inspired by realistic murals from Latin America or Russia that were called “propaganda paintings” because they carried a message for the people. He applies acrylic or industrial paint as one shouts, flat on 2mX3m tarpaulins. In short, Laurent Le Quang is a committed painter. This week, a series of four works occupies the space in the Orangerie room of the tourist office. The theme is “October 7, 2023”.
Laurent Le Quang must paint to “respond to reality as it emerges,” he says, “I go beyond the discourse which can be false by omission or by will.” The reality: the subject is complex…, “that’s why I always work on series, they are temporary masks of the truth”.
“A Thursday like any other”
He first addresses the question through writing like a journalist; the painting on the tarpaulin is the result of a reflection, of a confrontation.
This series is called “A Saturday Like Any Other”. It echoes the response of an IRA activist who was asked “How did it feel to plant a bomb for the first time?” Answer: “It was a Thursday like any other.”
Painting for the victims
Laurent Le Quang describes the cold and monstrous mechanics of fanaticism and war. “I paint for all the victims, it is fundamental work against oblivion, these tarpaulins are in fact tombstones”.
There are no two camps separated by a border, there is chaos or peace. Between the two… the freedom of the artist.
Laurent Le Quang has produced large format series on migrants who drown at sea, on Samuel Paty and is currently working on Iran: oppression, death and freedom. The exhibition is on view until Saturday June 22. Information at 05.62.64.00.00.
