Cloud Painting 2016

Benoit Maire’s Cloud Painting offers a unique visual experience of the sky through his layered brushstrokes. Clouds, those ephemeral symbols, have long captured humanity's imagination as representations of dreams and higher powers. In antiquity, gods dwelled in the skies, using clouds as their chariots, shaping our myths and religions. From Renaissance frescoes depicting divine ascensions to Romantic landscapes where clouds evoke sublime emotions, their form has evolved, yet their power persists. Here, Maire transforms these atmospheric masses into heavy, almost tangible forms. The white strokes, thick and opaque, contrast with the translucent background, giving substance to the intangible. This work engages our collective memory, tapping into our subconscious connection to the sky. Clouds remind us of our transient existence, constantly changing, yet eternally present in our skies and psyche. Like the eternal return of Nietzsche, this painting emphasizes the cyclical and continuous nature of visual symbols, resurfacing, evolving, and adapting across time and culture.