Gonçalves de Lima took the lead in restoring the property, converting a cider-press building into a skylit art studio. A traditional, low-ceilinged house surrounded by outbuildings, it sits beside a river amid gently rolling hills. They first saw the home in 2018, during an impromptu visit to the area, and they were so enamored that they made an offer to buy it on the spot. "It made another layer that isn't represented physically come out.From a seventeenth-century cottage in France’s Normandy region, Hockney has spent the pandemic restlessly pursuing new avenues for his work.įor the past three years, David Hockney and his longtime partner, Jean-Pierre (JP) Gonçalves de Lima, have lived in a remote seventeenth-century cottage in France’s Normandy region. "I've never seen so many colours on myself and I felt that's what my personality is really like," says Perry. Structured or abstract, Perry says that she feels her personality was on display each time. Instead of being painted using McLean's abstract style, the two chose to do a structured piece and recreate Salvador Dali's "Persistence of Memory" by painting it onto Perry's back. Her third experience was something new altogether. "The only sense I could use was touch and there was something calming and soothing about having the paintbrush touch my face." Rebecca Perry, 23, has been painted three times and said the process helped her understand her own personality better. "I find it maybe to be more of a psychological analysis because it draws on body representation, which is a very primal aspect of humanity," he said. Liss said McLean's project showcases elements of contemporary art and portraiture, but also draws heavily on art therapy traditions. "(The project) is a link to the human body itself and you can't look at it as a painting, that's not what the artist is trying to get at." "What I find interesting is the interaction between the subject and McLean and what it brings out," Liss said. His output has jumped to 145 canvases since then, he said, adding his work is reaching an audience ranging from Australia to Peru.ĭavid Liss, Artistic Director and Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, said McLean's work portrays the connection that develops between an artist and his subject. McLean held his first exhibit last November, where he displayed his first 100 canvases and launched his first published book. The project was initially supposed to be private and consist of only ten portraits, but high demand and positive feedback quickly altered McLean's plans. McLean overcame his self-esteem issues and began the Human Canvas Project as a way to document his close friends and the way that he saw them on the inside. "A lot of gay men struggle with eating disorders, I didn't like who I was and took it out on my body," he said. The artist struggled with his image and sexuality in high school, ultimately leading him to abuse his body and drop 45 pounds in six months. Subjects are sometimes hesitant to display their bodies, McLean said, adding he understands their reticence all too well. McLean then gets to work bonding with his subject before applying his trademark swirls, strokes, and dabs showcasing what he calls the subject's inner beauty. McLean's subjects begin the creative process by picking out a playlist of ten songs along with up to five colours they like. "One of the biggest things that body painting tries to do is disguise the body, while I'm trying to show who the person is behind the paint," McLean said. McLean, also an author and actor, says his art shouldn't be confused with ordinary body painting. Using music, discussion and individual colour choices, McLean tries to tap into each person's individual character and use the body as the canvas it's painted on. Through the Human Canvas Project, established last year, McLean uses his paint brushes to capture both his subjects' figures and personalities. Now he's advertising the beauty of the human form by transforming it into a work of art. TORONTO - Matti McLean once hated his body so much that he stopped eating in his last year of high school.
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