Timelessness Is On His Side

An Interview with Bernardo França

Part 2 of 2 (link to Part 1)
Click on any image to enlarge

Bernardo, even at this relatively early stage in your career, your work has already been featured in a number of magazines as well as for books, calendars and much more. What has been your favourite ‘outlet’ so far for your illustrations?
I really enjoy seeing my illustrations in books – I just feel books have this everlasting feeling behind them.

Magazines are a cool place to publish, too. It spreads your work and your name very effectively – even though magazines are somewhat of a dying media today.

Is there a different way of displaying your work that you have NOT had a chance to explore as much as you’ve wanted to so far?
You know, I’d really like to do murals. I feel like murals are an exponentially cool way of combining and expressing art and architecture – or really art and any space. I love how a mural can completely change a whole environment.

Speaking of your work and how it is exhibited, I very much enjoyed reading about the ENOX Expressions 2011 where the artworks of 40 artists were distributed all over Brazil, including ‘especially bar toilets – the best place for art ever’! That is so funny! How does it feel to have your work displayed in such a ‘unique’ location for art? Do you have any advice for anyone trying to enter the ‘art in toilets’ market?
I actually made a mistake with that quote where I said ‘especially bar toilets’. In fact, ENOX Expressions artwork were destined ONLY for bar toilets! But I have to say, bathrooms are the best – sometimes the lighting on these rooms is better than in renowned galleries!

In this case, ENOX placed the different art directly in front of, well, your ‘station area’. So while you were busy doing your ‘business’, you had plenty of time to check out the art. This project took place simultaneously in many, many toilets nation-wide including in bars, malls, and restaurants.

But you know, when I sell a small original art-work, I in fact usually suggest they hang it in their toilet! Its great marketing strategy actually, because many people use the space (= rotation!) and they have private time to appreciate it - hehehe. I guess that’s my advice for those who want to enter 'art in toilets' market.

Looking at your style in more depth, in addition to the line-work, I am especially drawn to the often understated coloration. How do you approach the colour selection for your pieces?
I’m really not that educated when it comes to colouring. I feel I still have a long way to go with that. Ha, maybe my signature ‘understated look’ is a reflection of my lack of knowledge! I don't know.

The only thing I’m really, I guess, logical about is how to use colours to (re-)enforce the message of my drawings, for example, to point out something that I want to be evident. Again, the important thing is the message behind the illustration – that’s what must be prioritised.

You also have some more abstract work in your on-line portfolio. What attracts you to this type of expression?
While I'm drawing, I'm also constantly tracing 'option lines'. Sometimes ‘the right line’ comes out with the first stroke of my pen; but other times I have to really work at it, sometimes it seems for an endless number of times until I find ‘the one’ for which I’m looking.

I find the result of this construction process fascinating and very often incorporate this to a final art-work. Using these ‘guidelines’ and when you add them all together, it may create what looks like an abstract piece; but they are actually a way to get to a figurative model. For me anyway, it’s just a way of seeing it differently.

I’m interested in some of your different ‘projects’ including that you exhibit quite a large number of ‘sketches’ and even character studies. I would think that this must be difficult if you are afraid a piece is not finished or perfected.

As such, why do you like to display your work in this more ‘unfinished’ form?
Sketchbooks are a great chance to really understand the thinking process of an artist. I believe – as many other artists do – that a sketchbook provides a look into that time when one really frees himself to create.

My sketchbook production is very prolific, but having said that I think I like to display them to show ideas that sometimes are destined to stay in an everlasting ‘unfinished look’. The key is to let it all out – and many times, my friends and fellow artists will comment on something they liked. Or even better, they’ll point out something that wasn’t clear or didn't work out for one specific piece.

In addition, I’m curious about your ‘Friday Girl’ illustrations. How did you get the idea to illustrate a different ‘femme fatale’ each week?
Friday-gal was me trying to have some sort of weekly contract or assignment that I agreed to with myself. It’s really a way of having some built in discipline. I love drawing women so I figured it would be perfect for this exercise. Something that with time could generate a series that would fit together even if the pieces themselves might be very varied.

Sometimes I don’t get a chance to be as creative as I’d like to be with this, probably because I’m busy with work. But other times I do try to come up with a different approach to an image. So I keep learning that way – and this personal growth is indispensable.

These illustrations are also interesting in that they’re not limited to just ‘girls in hot bikinis’ or other pin-up types, with some being quite full-figured and Rubenesque in their beauty. Is it important to you to vary the type of woman you are illustrating?
Again, I don't think I vary the pieces as much as I would like to. I definitely have to work more on that. But hell yeah it's important to have in your personal repertory as many girls as possible! After all, every woman is unique!

Still, as I said before it depends on the story you’re trying to tell. Sometimes for an illustration, emphasising a certain quality of the body – like is the lady slim as a twig or round like a ice-cream ball – really adds to the message you want to pass on to your viewers! And no matter what, the girls are all beautiful!

Having said that, do you have your own preference in terms of what body-types you illustrate?
My eye - or let's say my mind's eye - differentiates between what is true beauty compared to ugliness very easily. Luckily, for me, this beauty comes in many, many different ways and forms - so I couldn't say I have a preferred type. And me? Well, I try to fall in love everyday - sometimes more than 4 or 5 times a day.

You’ve mentioned having a keen interest in working on background illustration, correct? Is there a big animation industry to work with in Brazil?
Yes, I really have a strong desire to work as a background artist for animation. Works of professionals such as Eyvind Earle, Walt Peregoy, Jules Engels, Paul Julian, Bob McIntosh, Lew Keller and Mary Blair (old schoolers) and from today’s production Scott Willis, Kevin Dart, Dan Krall, William Wray and Drake Brodahl are such a great influence over me.

But the problem remains that the animation industry is VERY small in Brazil - it just isn't encouraged. In fact, Brazil lacks places to train and build these professionals. Even illustration - there's not one University with this as a major degree here.

For me, I think that drawing per se in Brazil is always associated with a type of ‘inner self-involvement’. This really saddens me, because we have so many really amazing talents down here. But most of them will never do what they want for a living (draw, animate ...) and will probably have a shitty job they hate for the rest of their lives.

But, if my dream comes true and everything works out according to plan, in the future I'll open and be responsible for operating some sort of graphic school here. This is my destiny!

I’m curious then: are you promoting your work more in South American markets or internationally?
I live in São Paulo – the third largest city in the world. Here is the place for new professionals to break-through. All the big agencies and publishers are here! So just to physically be in a city where you fit in professionally is a great start (this gives you self-promotion already).

In addition, besides my website where I try and keep my portfolio as updated as possible, plus the de la burns blog, I put my work on Facebook and try (struggle) to use Twitter with update notes and good references. I believe it's crucial for a up-and-coming professional to use all means of social media possible - since it's a dog-eat-dog world and no one is going to do your marketing for you!

Still, looking at your question, I also know that I'm a relatively new professional (3 years now)! I’m still trying to establish myself as a valuable artist here in Brazil - but I definitely want to bring my work overseas! I visited Europe for the first time in June and July of this year, where I arranged some meetings with possible clients and artists who work I enjoy. It was a great experience!

Beside that I try to keep contact with artists from all over the world (especially animators) like California, NY, Toronto, London, Paris. It's such an immense joy for me to have the opportunity to talk to another professional. And it’s a great group, as it seems that they're all willing to talk art and help out in any way they can.

So what’s next then for Bernardo França, the architect-turned-illustrator that likes to fall in love each and every day?
Clearly, I want to make a living with my personal work. I know I have a very long road to travel where I need to continue drawing – incessantly! – and also keep researching and executing as much as I can!

I am indeed aiming to become a well-know resource in any area where music and illustration meet! Or maybe even become really as an artist well-known for his women ... but not in a womaniser way!

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Bernardo França is an illustrator with a unique flair, his work being often understated but certainly not underrated! Originally from Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, he currently resides in the bustling Metropolis of São Paulo, Brazil.

They say you can learn a lot about a person from their taste in music, and if you happen to check a very limited list of Bernardo’s favourite albums of all time, you’ll see artists such as The Beastie Boys, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Bob Marley, Cypress Hill, House of Pain as well as a host of great Brazilian acts. What that then truly says about Bernardo, we’re not entirely sure, so we’ll just go with eclectic and very open-minded!

His passion for his art, the world in which he lives and all things beautiful in their own unique way – as interpreted through the eyes, the ears, the touch and more – is very evident in all of his illustrations! It’s a joy to follow him via social media as he always has AT LEAST a fun teaser sketch to share or perhaps even a simply coloured yet exquisitely lined illustration to propose! A rising talent from a wonderful area of the world that will no doubt have many years of great success to come!

Please check out more about Bernardo at these links and social media connections!

Website
Blog

Twitter
Facebook



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All pictures, videos and other media are used with written permission of Bernardo França, including all current or previous business affiliations related to same, or are available in the public domain (noting copyright and other restrictions, accordingly). No further reproduction or duplication is permitted without contacting the artist directly.

Some pictures have been modified slightly or combined only for the purpose of space limitations. In all cases, we invite you to visit the artist’s site(s) for more, including the links provided above.

A Dream Within A Dream

An Interview with Calligrapher Julien Breton aka Kaalam

Part 1 of 2 (link to Part 2)
click on any picture to enlarge it to original size (also turn on sound for videos!!)

Imagine that you have to learn about how inks and different graphic tools – including a wide range of pens and other writing implements – work in order to create your art. Okay, many of you are nodding, that’s good, let’s keep going. Now let’s add to that also working with more advanced paints, different brushes and even calligraphy equipment and methodology. Okay, a few less heads are nodding, but still we’ve got a good audience left playing this little game. Now let’s add to that a need for understanding how light works IN THE SAME WAY as your inks and paints do, including now both light that you CAN see and light that you CAN’T see. Hm, a few less participants are left. Let’s wrap up this skills set then with a healthy dose of understanding three-dimensional design, time-lapse photography and even choreography. Oh dear, just that many left? Oops, and we forgot to add: you have to teach yourself all these skills with no formal education.

You certainly don’t need to know all that about Julien Breton, aka Kaalam, and his calligraphy, but it adds a little more, I don’t know, appreciation for what he’s accomplished and for where he’s no doubt heading. Julien is an affable and out-going young man from Nantes (France), who began his ‘hobby’ working with calligraphy in 2001 initially by simply imitating contemporary Arabic calligraphers. As mentioned, he is self-taught, having also incorporated his appreciation for graffiti in order to develop his own ‘Latin-based’ alphabet. In addition to creating his works, which range from amazingly beautiful pieces on paper to photographs capturing any where from a few minutes to several hours of work to even his displays in the ‘virtual’ world, he also incorporates in many cases inspiring phrases and quotes. These are taken then from the diverse worlds of Western and Middle Eastern philosophers, French rap and hip-hop artists, and other famous writers including the works of Edgar Allan Poe and even Mark Twain.

When Julien discovered the so-called ‘light-graff’ process, he began to experiment with a new way of creation. This new means of expression requires not only calligraphy skills but also a full range of body language, choreography, and even hi-tech exchanges with photographers and video artists. But in this way, Julien has managed to change ink into light! And any surface can become his canvas, from beautiful landscapes and historic monuments, to the sides of buildings or the bare-skinned backs of models in pose. Since the beginning of 2009, Julien has also joined up with the group Digital Slaves, and through experiments and their collaborations, they have invented a new process for creating real-time virtual calligraphy. They have also continued to develop light calligraphy – the differences between ‘light’ and ‘virtual’ calligraphy will be made clear later – through a show that combines calligraphy, music and dance.

Ziggy Nixon is very pleased to have caught up with Julien to talk about both the ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ parts of his craft:

Julien, after reading your on-line information that you provide on your home-page, I’m very interested to learn more about your background. Can you tell us a little more about you got started with your ‘calligraphic art’, please?
My journey or course of development with my art has not been very close to what you could call classical!

I have a BTS in Administration and Management of audio-visual production (ZN: a ‘BTS’ degree in France is a "Brevet de Technicien Supérieur" diploma which is typically awarded after two years of study after the baccalaureate or BS degree). Still, before I started my technical studies, I really wanted to be a musician ... a pianist to be exact. But I was always frightened by the prospects of life as an artist. So instead, I decided I would stay kind of in orbit around this world, you know, staying near it but maybe a bit more hidden in the shadows.

After college, I developed an association called ‘pick-up productions’ that organises all kinds of events including evening concerts and other cultural activities, video projects and screenings and more in Nantes. Afterwards, I started with ‘scopic’ which is a co-operative group that also manages graphics projects, events (including conferences, receptions, exhibitions, stands, etc.) and various needs for communications and multi-media presentations (ZN also recommends checking out their fun-spirited blog for more!).

In terms of calligraphy, I’ve been working on that since 2001. But it’s only been since about November 2008 that calligraphy has really ‘captured’ me, so much so that it really became impossible for me to combine my daily work and my passion for my art. As such, I am now working on my calligraphy full-time.

A ‘live’ video presentation of Julien’s calligraphy work using paper as a medium. This features the artist ‘You-k-off (Nantes – 2006)and is titled ‘le silence est cri’ (‘Silence is cry’):

You indicate that you are self-taught. How did this process work and how did you manage to learn so much so quickly?
Calligraphy is very far away from the world where I come from. For me, I first discovered it in 2001 through the work of various contemporary Arab calligraphers including Hassan Massoudy, Salah Moussawy or Lassaâd Métoui. I started out by simply reproducing their pieces and forms.

But then I said to myself, ‘hey wait a minute Julien, you do not speak Arabic’. It really kind of bothered me that I could be making mistakes with this beautiful art form and the correct use of the language.

So I decided to invent my own Latin-based alphabet, which was of course inspired by the more abstract Arabic forms. But it was not easy as I had no training or education in graphic arts. I didn’t know anything about inks or paints or the tools I needed or anything.

As such, it was a long and difficult learning process for me. But I couldn’t afford classes or otherwise take time off and sign up for internships, so it was necessary for me to find my own way.

I also had an incredible desire to find and utilise texts from the world of rap music that had been such a big part of my own education. I wanted to bring this to an audience outside of the hip-hop culture. I just really wanted to somehow stir up people’s emotions with these great ambiguous lyrics, that were not only provocative but also were filled with lots of philosophy that I could relate to so well.

Your influences include not only the styles of Arabic calligraphy but also the movements used in Eastern calligraphy (Chinese, Japanese). What led you to combine these very different yet very beautiful styles?
Yes, I really did want to create a ‘universal’ language even if that is an enormous concept.

I wanted to create a style of calligraphy that could speak to as many people as possible. Plus, it was fascinating to work with and merge these original styles even though they differed not only in their approach but also came from such different histories.

Overall, I think that is what led me to the ‘art’ of calligraphy. Plus, I realised I could say something that would very accessible and that it would make sense to a lot of people. I was attracted to that because I didn’t think I needed to necessarily know or understand the basic premises that many might consider essential for artistic work. To me, calligraphy speaks in a very simple way.

I also have to confess that I have this fantastic utopian vision of a unified world, where cultures can intermingle with each other without prejudice, or where such a mixture would not never be considered blasphemous. For me, especially in our times where it seems that the only time the West and especially the Middle East come face-to-face is when they’re in opposition to each other, I simply wanted to bring some aspect of these worlds together.

So I tried to gather and bring as many aspects of the calligraphy of different cultures that had touched or influenced me that I could. I decided to combine the lightness and abstraction of Arabic calligraphy, the art of the ‘moment’ and gestures present in Asian calligraphy – all while at the same time using my native language, French.

Still, I have started learning Arabic. Sure I want to mix my French (Latin) styles with Arabic, but it’s also something that really interests me in large part because the Arabic script lends itself so well to light calligraphy.

To be clear, are you still working with the team at Scopic? If yes, what kind of work do you do there?

My work at the event company Scopic has ‘accompanied’ me since I started in calligraphy. Again, I work with them on the organisation and management of commercial or artistic events. And sure, this work is what has allowed me to not only make a living, but to finance my creations and on-going development.

But Scopic is great. It’s a team that is made up of my closest friends, all of whom I trust completely. And it’s really important because it seems like these days about 90% of the proposals that I receive do not get realised or, in many ways, lack the ‘seriousness’ needed to bring a project to completion.

You are also developing your own font style for the computer?
Yes, I am developing my own font style. I wanted to just step back for a moment in order to take stock of what I had been working on and to organise the different letters that I had developed. So I’ve been working on the ‘kaalam’ font which originated from different creations on paper and was inspired by letters that I had been using in the various texts.

This has actually been a long project, because I’m having to learn all about typography creation. Right now, it’s full of errors that could only perhaps be corrected by a ‘real’ typographer who understands the rules of spacing, or how to adjust things to the right height , or how the different letters should fit together and connect, and so on.

Still, it is a work in progress. I want to continue working on it and refining it in the coming months. If you’d like you can test drive it yourself (see here)!

You mention that your ‘spiritual’ influences have included philosophy, writing and hip-hop or rap music. How did you get interested in at very least philosophy and writing?
Having grown up in a ‘quartier populaire’ (ZN: roughly translated, a working-class neighbourhood, typically including a diverse mix of residents of different ethnicity’s, cultures, religions, etc.), popular rap was almost a form of education. For me, it has even somewhat replaced the words of my father and forged the ethics and principles that I live by today.

You see, French rap is very special in it’s active commitment as well as in it’s subversive nature. French rappers are in many ways determined to raise the awareness of their audience and still bring poetry into the narrative.

For me, not being a writer and knowing absolutely nothing about writing, I just wanted to share thoughts, phrases, ideas and all the different influential texts that helped me become who I am today. As such, I take these sentences and phrases to help ‘perpetrate’ the messages of my calligraphy. Through my own tastes for this literature, I want to get people to learn more. I want to encourage my audience to discover something that otherwise I don’t think would be possible if I used, for example, classical poetry – which is often normally associated with calligraphy.

Plus, over the course of my development over the past years, in addition to these ‘contemporary’ writers and rappers, I have also discovered other classical western and middle eastern authors including such greats as Khalil Gibran, Edgar Alan Poe (the author of the poem of the same name as this article), La Rochefoucauld (ZN: sorry kids, no English links found to this last one, you’re on your own), etc.

Another live exhibit of Julien’s calligraphy and performance skills, this time for the group ‘Dubitatif’ (= ‘Dubious’). This video is particularly interesting as the details of the lettering itself becomes very clear as the video progresses.

I’m just curious, but have you also worked with graffiti before (we promise not to tell the police!!)?
Well, not really. I am totally inspired by graffiti because it is part of my environment, but I never spray-painted anything.

I’ve always admired graffiti artists who dare to defy the government by decorating our urban landscapes, and who tried to respond to the aggression of the omniscient visual advertising that is more and more present in our cities.

Sometimes I really want to join in ... but instead of this, I now work on walls with my light creations. I use light pens of different sizes which enables me to interpret the same gestures and forms that I create with my calligraphy on paper.

Can you describe your ‘work’ or performances with the Lightgraff team?
In fact, I discovered light calligraphy thanks to Guillaume J. Plisson, a great photographer who does this kind of specialised work with light-graff.

Working with light calligraphy can take different forms: the one I practice most often is the creation of calligraphic light pieces in the outdoors, in places rich in historical meaning or in such a way that a message can be delivered from the only photograph that results from the performance. In these cases, I work alone or I’ll be accompanied by a photographer.

When I work alone, I’ll have to place the camera, manage the set-up and ensure the technical settings are right. Then I begin working on the ‘choreography’ part of this type of calligraphy. In all cases, I have tested the forms and gestures many, many times over. It is this kind of practice and repetition which allows me to make successive refinements in the calligraphy itself.

It definitely requires patience! Achieving a successful photograph can take anywhere from about 30 minutes to several hours to complete. This is especially true if the exposure time of the photograph itself can last over 10 minutes, as for example with my piece shown here titled ‘Vivre Libre’ (‘Live Free’).

In other cases, like when I do public performances, I’ll present a solo show lasting around 40 minutes. For example, I’ll create a series of 10 illuminated calligraphy pieces including quotes. These creations are, of course, very bright and I’ll typically accompany the work with original music, especially by Supa-Jay, a composer from Lyon that I really enjoy working with.

These shows are quite fascinating and usual get a good response from the crowd. The spectators can see obviously the different movements performed right in front of their eyes. In addition, they can also see immediately how the ‘photograph’ is being formed as it’s instantaneously projected on a video screen, such as the performance I did for the ‘Festival of Lights’ in Lyon on the Place Bellecour.

But it is a difficult exercise that requires again lots of repetition and practice, as well as a great deal of concentration.

Two reports from France that each show in detail the careful ‘choreography’ needed to not only create the images but to coordinate and work hand-in-hand with the photographer or also for the creation of ‘live’ images:

Continued in Part 2

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All images including videos used by exclusive written permission of Julien Breton. Any reproduction or other usage is forbidden without the expressed written consent of the artist and/or the associations or contributing artists involved. For more information, please visit the various sections at http://www.kaalam.com/.

A Dream Within A Dream

An Interview with Calligrapher Julien Breton aka Kaalam

Part 2 of 2 (link to Part 1)
click on any picture to enlarge it to original size (also turn on sound for videos!!)

Julien, after seeing you perform ‘live’ in different interviews and other videos, do you consider yourself more of an artist or performer as the magazine ‘Metiers d’Art’ described you?
I really don’t know where I fit between artist and performer. I mean, art galleries tell me my work is more design oriented, and designers tell me it’s art.

For me, my artistic discourse is constructed through the choice of the phrases I present in my calligraphy and the message that I present through the photographs. I am simply a witness of an era. Still, if I had to chose, in some ways I think I am an artist. Then again, maybe I’m actually a performer. You see?

I mean, I love creating snapshots for a single occasion or a specific message. Just now in fact, I am preparing for a performance where I’ll create light calligraphy over a span of 30 minutes. And I do enjoy doing shows, because I feel that the public is increasingly used to ‘quickly consuming’ a work or a concert. As such, I enjoy showing that artistic creation sometimes requests or even requires the audience to be patient, but that their patience will be well rewarded with a great and very interesting show.

Where do your works find their ‘customers’? You have done magazine covers and even album covers and much more of course. What other ‘outlets’ for your work have you found?
At the moment, being able to ‘live my passion’ is complicated. I’m really managing to just supplement my needs. I am providing courses and workshops in the various forms of calligraphy that I do. I am also selling original creations and continuing to promote my calligraphy light show.

But in a lot of ways, it seems my style does not meet current standards. Maybe if I was doing graffiti art, things would be easier!

It just seems that calligraphy doesn’t have a place in art galleries and in terms of contemporary art again the acceptance does not seem to be very high. Plus, I find that if I want to work and sell something like logos, many consider my style too ‘Arabic’, so it’s difficult to promote my work in the country where I live!

I find myself therefore in a somewhat marginal space in terms of positioning my work ...

The principle of ‘virtual calligraphy’ seems to be pretty clear with it’s use of long exposure photography. A couple of questions to the work and pieces you have produced:
- Different pictures include different ‘textures’, colour combinations, levels of transparency and even thicknesses of light. Is there a selection of different ‘light-brushes’ that you use? Here are some examples that shows what I mean:

Careful, virtual calligraphy is not the same as light calligraphy!

Light calligraphy is a creation completed with bright lights that involves taking a picture over a ‘long’ space of time with a camera. The end result appears only when the photograph is developed!

On the other hand, virtual calligraphy works with a camera and an infrared lamp. And with the systems I use, the result appears in real time and can be ‘projected’ even as the piece is developing.

But back to your question: of course, I use different ‘light brushes’. You can see several examples in this photograph (ZN: we assume that the beer is also an essential part of achieving a perfectly executed piece!).

In terms of the photographs shown above, the first photograph was made with Brusk (a graffiti artist) and here the red and white is made with a portable neon lamp where we applied red gelatin to half of the light. This gives the line this double-coloured effect.

In addition, all the lights that I use are ‘wedge-shaped’ which allows me to retain both the flat effects and still also freely express the flowing forms just as you see with calligraphy on paper. The angle of the bevel allows me to create either fine or thick lines.

The lamp used to create and photograph the 3rd picture above is very powerful and is used for working in extremely bright environments. It is composed of fifty very powerful diodes which in turn gives the effect of the very fine, grooved lines running in parallel.

How much trial and error does it take to develop the right control of the light?
It is a difficult exercise if you want to think of it that way. But learning to work like this was a real revelation for me.

Since I was young, I understood space and 3 dimensions in a very special way. Today when I work, I trace reference marks on the ground and I also use even my center of gravity as a reference in space and time. Other times, I’ll even call upon my appreciation of mathematical logic and different ways of viewing space with my eyes or within my mind.

And when I know by heart the choreography of my calligraphy, I can achieve my work error-free and without problems, even in a photograph. But when I'm creating, this entire preparation period can take several hours to several days ...

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of working in combination with photography vs. working on paper?
When I worked only on paper, I always had a desire to make the format bigger. I wanted to expand the space of my ‘canvas’ so that I could work with more gestures and movement. Light calligraphy gave me this opportunity.

Now, the frame of the camera gives me a background of the size I want. In this way, I am able to express myself with my whole body and create light sculptures in 3 dimensions. I just love working in this way, with volume, perspective, and depth!

Have you considered going to study calligraphy in an Arab country?
Of course. But unfortunately, I can not afford to do that right now ...

I do feel very close to the Arab culture and I'd like to get closer. But all things in their own time.

I have seen your name mentioned as well with the group ‘Digital Slaves’. Are you part of this group or do you just work together sometimes?
Digital Slaves is a collective of artists working in the field of digital arts.

We met some time ago to work together on a project. I wanted to create a system that would allow calligraphy to be projected without delay or other problems as it was being made. From this, we’ve managed to develop a system together that allows us to conduct real-time ‘virtual calligraphy’. We now intend to set up a show to exhibit this technology.

The system as you can see from the video below works with a camera and an infrared lamp. The gestures of the artist are captured by the camera and then transcribed into a related library program called VVVV. This includes a free library which has been co-developed by various technicians and artists based in different countries.

Video presentation of the virtual calligraphy system developed by Julien Breton and Digital Slaves (this was actually the second presentation, for more, see this link) :

Digital Slaves [RT Virtual Calligraphy] from Digital Slaves on Vimeo.

It also seems to be important to you that you emphasise that none of your pictures have been corrected or edited. Why is that?
Yes, this is very important to me because you could argue that it would be possible to get the same results by spending lots of hours sitting at the computer and photo-shopping an image. But I hope that people realise that the process used is photography and we are actually moving in these three-dimensional spaces to create works of light calligraphy.

And to fully appreciate the work, I think people need to understand that these photographs are made in turn in one ‘shot’ and with one ‘burst of energy’ if you will. In my work, therefore, the sentence ‘the art of the moment’ takes on it’s full meaning.

What do you do to ensure that the image you are making in ‘virtual’ space is looking like you want it to look? Obviously you can not make corrections, so how does this work?
To be honest, I don’t know exactly how I do it.

Really, creating in a 3D space seems natural to me. I fix each gesture in a precise way in space. I’m able to recreate the effect of different shaped lens even; but again, I have to admit that I don’t have a precise answer that I can give you.

Why do you use the performance name Kaalam? Is there a particular meaning to this?
Kaalam is both the traditional tool used in Arabic calligraphy and also means ‘to speak’ or ‘to express’.

Is there any location that you would really like to use one time? Or perhaps a message you would like to communicate?
Currently, I would like to visit Iran. The complexity of this country intrigues me, and I’d be very interested to go there and do some light calligraphy. But my next project is to create a work of calligraphy in the middle of the desert.

My next steps involve moving towards more staged photography and trying as well to create more simple images using just a landscape as a backdrop.

Wherever I’m heading though, I definitely want my future to be filled with more and more meaning ...

What kind of projects are you working on now?
I am currently working on 2 projects: One is with a company with light calligraphy and movement. The second project I’m working on is a virtual calligraphy show which will highlight the gesture and movements involved. My presence and movements will be projected through a screen where I’ll appear in silhouette.

What’s next for Julien Breton?
Well, I’d really like to have a debate about my art. I'd like to discuss and ask others: do you (or your audience) think that light calligraphy has it’s place in contemporary art?

I feel like I belong ... but it doesn’t seem to get that kind of acknowledgement by what I’d call many of it’s ‘main actors’ ... again, time will tell.

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Julien lists an impressive collection of exhibitions, shows, residences, workshops and more, including his appearances in print and on television on his home web-site. Instead of using up more space here, we will simply provide you the link to a summary of this information that he has provided in English (see bottom of same page). We think anyway we’d much rather use the remaining part of this entry to fit in a couple of other fantastic videos that help to illustrate his wonderful art and expressive style.

A very recent offer by Julien featuring photos of various calligraphic styles and works :

Also, an excellent interview and summary of Julien’s art and inspirations by the show ‘Najda’, including several fantastic pieces and also accompanying musical inspirations. Presented by Marine Cherel, Report by Denis Vannier, Credit for photos by Light-Graff : Guilaume J. Plisson, Credit for photos by Virtual-Graff : Digital Slaves


Reportage Najda
par KaalamV1

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All images including videos used by exclusive written permission of Julien Breton. Any reproduction or other usage is forbidden without the expressed written consent of the artist and/or the associations or contributing artists involved. For more information, please visit the various sections at http://www.kaalam.com/.