One of the things that fascinates me most about places like Ruhl Plage is how different lives unfold under the... Read More
One of the things that fascinates me most about places like Ruhl Plage is how different lives unfold under the same parasols. Hotel guests and tourists come to slow down and enjoy the Mediterranean, while beach club staff quietly prepare umbrellas, arrange sunbeds, keep the cocktails flowing and keep everything running behind the scenes. Although they share the same view, their experiences are worlds apart.
Rather than depicting a specific moment, I wanted to capture the carefree rhythm of a summer day on the Côte d'Azur through the perspective of someone completely immersed in it. The striped parasols, deep azure sea and Mediterranean light become graphic elements that celebrate not only the beauty of the French Riviera, but the feeling of being there.
The painting was hand-painted with acrylic on canvas, using simplified forms, bold colour and a contemporary graphic language to distil the atmosphere of the place. Designed to stand on its own or alongside its companion piece, On Duty – Ruhl Plage, Nice, it explores one half of a shared story about the contrasting realities that unfold under the same parasols.
