Stephanie Arpels: Artist we love

While most adolescents find solace in pouring their hearts out to their peers during difficult times, Stephanie Arpels decided to narrate her emotions through paintings. “I began to express my anger and frustrations by projecting them on walls, clothes and canvases; it was a feeling of relief,” she reveals. This innate passion for art propelled into a full-time occupation when the French artist was in Paris and a few artists helped develop her technique.

She moved to India 18 months ago and curated her first solo exhibition, From Black to Abstract Nude. The show, which showcased her latest works, recently concluded in the capital. It stems from her personal events, emotions, and spiritual moments. The paintings recounts her journey through a monochromatic palette that progresses to muted colours and then finally into vibrant shades and golds. “I used powerful, bright colours to represent India because the country has had a positive impact on me,” she adds.

Using acrylic, she beautifully illustrates her forte of abstract nudes, depicting the contrasts and similarities of the West and the sub-continent. “Some of my paintings connote the adversities women in India go through. But it is also my way of questioning how they can keep smiling while they live in such dire conditions.”

Website: www.stephaniearpels.com

Also read: Christian Lacroix Maison’s new line brings the fantasy of the theatre onto fabrics