I also have a scientific background, which is why I’m constantly thinking of new ways to integrate science into my artistic expression! For example, apart from painting, I also create 3D sculptures. So I perceive it as an artistic expression in itself, and it’s why it appears in my artworks. Mathematical symbols and formulas are for me a natural language it’s something I grew up exposed to.

It impacts my vision of my paintings and the structure of my compositions. The Elephant is in the Room How does your non-art background impact on your artwork? To me, this work is an invitation to believe in dreams, and focus on what you want to achieve in life, without procrastinating all the time.

It’s a personal message to remind myself that failure is not permanent and you can always start over again – like the famous myth that cats have multiple lives.Īnother of my paintings, A Postponed Dream, was done when I was full of colourful ideas and a burst of bright energy. One of the most memorable to me is “A cat with seven souls”. It’s usually something ironic, or funny at first, but with a specific meaning for me. I’m also inspired by movie quotes or scripts that I like. I see Trump as an elephant in a Chinese porcelain shop – and that’s what I’m referring to in the painting! The Elephant is in the Room was made in 2020, when Donald Trump was in the media a lot. I refer to the interaction between the different energies of the characters, something like the cyclical fight between yin and yang. I really love this movie and I pay homage to it in this painting. Tell us about your artwork on display at REDSEA Gallery Singapore.ĭuring the process of making my compositions, I like to listen to music, and sometimes I integrate the influence of the songs in my painting process. For example, one of my paintings, You Can’t Make No Mistake, is inspired by the song “Make No Mistake” by Keith Richards. The Ecstasy of Gold refers to a song by Metallica – the beginning of the song is from the movie The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. His mother, a maths teacher, familiarised him with the world of formulas when he was a child, and it’s the symbols and signs from these formulas that are now incorporated into some of his compositions. We learn more about this self-taught artist, including the inspiration for his artwork in Singapore.Ī French artist with Tunisian roots, Taher Jaoui studied financial mathematics, engineering and computer science – he didn’t have a formal education in art. Currently showing at REDSEA Gallery in Dempsey Hill are paintings by TAHER JAOUI.

The value of art by michael findlay