Marée Basse (courants II) 1986

Gilles Aillaud laid down the scene you see in front of you with oil paint in a muted, naturalistic palette. I imagine Aillaud standing on the beach, watching and waiting for the tide to recede, revealing the hidden patterns in the sand. The painting feels precise and meditative, with the artist carefully observing the landscape and patiently building the image through subtle shifts in color and tone. I'm curious, what was it like for him to stand there, day after day, studying the light and the way it transforms the scene? Aillaud’s interest in capturing transient phenomena, like the movement of water and the changing patterns in the sand, relates to other painters, such as Monet with his studies of light on water, and the ephemeral nature of existence. Each artist seems to converse with the others, translating observations into personal languages of paint. The beauty of painting lies in this ongoing conversation. Aillaud invites us to slow down, to appreciate the beauty of the natural world, and to reflect on the ways in which we perceive and interpret our surroundings.