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ARDIF

Manta Ray, Mechanimal

Acrylic on canvas

100 × 100 cm

Unique

Location: Villeneuve d'Ascq, France

https://www.artransfer.com/web/image/product.template/640/image_1920?unique=22290c8

5,600 € 5600.0 EUR 5,600 €

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Documents

  • Invoice or proof of purchase
    A 2207005 Gressier Ardif Juillet 22 « Manta ray mechanimal», acrylique sur toile, format 100 x 100 cm, encadré caisse américaine.pdf
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About the artwork

With a meticulousness akin to a scientific plate, this hybrid creature astonishes as much as it fascinates. Taking advantage of the natural symmetry of a manta ray, Ardif composes a landscape that is half industrial and half natural, in keeping with his Mechanimals series. The part on the right is treated in great detail, combining architectural elements and scientific machinery to create an entire landscape that adapts perfectly to the animal's shape. The left-hand side is rendered from life. The texture of the stingray's skin and the predominance of the color black contrast sharply with the landscape on the right. Yet the artist treats this texture with the same virtuosity as his mechanical half. In this way, he achieves a real harmony in the image, a metaphor for the harmony he would like to see between man and nature.

Expert opinion

"This work is from the artist's most acclaimed series, Mechanimals. It perfectly illustrates the virtuosity of his composition. Part animal portrait, part industrial landscape, this drawing expresses the essence of the artist's practice and the importance of the notion of balance in his work. "

About the artist

Born in Paris in 1986, Ardif is a major artist on the contemporary urban scene. During his studies, he specialized in architecture and developed a taste for industrial architecture and the steampunk universe. This taste is reflected in his work, which proposes hybridizations between nature and artificial worlds. However, he maintains an essential balance in all his compositions, highlighting the interdependent relationship he seems to detect between the evolution of man and nature. Reinforcing this notion of balance through the use of symmetry, notably in his Mechanimals series, the artist's bestiary draws up an inventory of highly contrasting textures thanks to meticulous attention to detail. His work is acclaimed worldwide, and his wall drawings can be seen in France, the United States and England. He has also been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions in Paris, such as at Cabinet d'amateur in 2018, Galerie Sakura in 2019 and Galerie Lithium in 2023.

“I always start with the animal. Initially, the idea was to make use of Nature's pre-existing composition. Indeed, the success of a drawing most often depends on its composition, and an animal is in itself an existing graphic composition. Nature forms beautiful symmetries, and I build my drawing around them. I often start with a rough pencil sketch for the composition, before drawing the animal. These tools allow me to work on the textures, feathers, fur or scales, which will then influence my work on the mechanical part and the objects that make it up.”

Additional info

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