Margaux Meyer: The Intuitive Art of Anatomy and Emotion

Margaux Meyer, an emerging artist, uses the human gut as a symbol of truth, emotion, and audacity in her work. Her raw paintings vividly capture the gut's intricate role in emotion and intuition

Margaux Meyer's work seeks to explore the poetic interplay of the mental and physical through the most primitive of our human components: the gut. Once considered unworthy of artistic value, these fundamental elements are reimagined in her paintings, transforming them into symbols of truth, emotion, and boldness.

We should say ily like farts, 2022, oil on canvas

One of Meyer's hallmarks is her unique ability to extract beauty from austerity and lack of refinement. She trades the ancient haruspice stick for her brushes and absorbent cotton, producing a fascinating painting of the stomach or a face as brutally real as it is metaphorically powerful.

Margaux Meyer's work reveals the eloquent language of the gut, a part of our body whose crucial role in regulating emotions and intuition is increasingly recognized.

Mist, 2022, oil on canvas

Her production is a lesson in poetic anatomy. Meyer contrasts different elements: the visible and the hidden, black and white, depth and surface. Each work is a complex exploration of contrasts, inviting the viewer to embark on a contemplative journey.

Whether it's the belly of a crystal ball swelling under the protective fingers of a pulled shirt or the whisper of ancient oracles in visceral detail, her work awakens the senses and provokes introspection.

She also cleverly incorporates symbolic representations into her work. One of her paintings depicts an eagle in flight, a striking image that evokes a sense of anticipation, similar to a new announcement. This symbol speaks volumes about her talent for layering meanings and playing with our perception.

Even the most mundane elements are not immune to her singular artistic touch. She emphasizes the essence of the human body, focusing on details often overlooked in conventional art, such as the white of the belly and the rough texture of jeans. In her world, these elements fill the canvas, challenging our preconceived notions of beauty and intrigue.

One of Margaux Meyer's remarkable talents is her ability to maintain a sense of indeterminacy in her work. She prefers the vitality of gesture to the precision of outline, which allows certain details to emerge more strikingly. The navel, our first scar, and the rough cut of a pair of jeans make visible the otherwise invisible threads of life, experiences, and stories.

Cramps, 2022, oil on canvas

The intimate exploration of the human anatomy, the mastery of her brushwork and the playfulness of her compositions give her paintings a palpable sense of desire. This desire is not explicitly provocative or vulgar; it is modest but profound, a desire that is most evident in the folds of the groin, the intertwining of lips in a kiss, and the immersive coalescence of paint.

"What I do teaches me what I seek"
Pierre Soulages

Inspired by Pierre Soulages' maxim, she ventures into the realm of the unknown with her art. Her work is not governed by rules, but rather by her instinct and the passions of her heart. These paintings emerge from her deep affinities, tracing the slope of intuition that oscillates between certainty and uncertainty.

Margaux Meyer is more than a painter, she is a conductor of primitive, vital energy, which she orchestrates between her fingers to touch her audience from a distance.

Substance 1, 2022, oil on canvas

A telepath of art, she uses her works to converse with viewers on the vibrant heart of life itself. Her paintings freeze moments in time, capturing the unceasing rhythm of existence.

Through her innovative approach, Meyer has proven that painting is not simply a static representation of reality; it is a medium that echoes the perpetual motion of life and the enduring beat of hearts.


All pictures from the show "Sous la régulation du cœur" on view until 06/10/23 at Galerie Chloé Salgado, Paris/France.

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Jamie Larson
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