Stranded in Èze was inspired by an unexpected day on the French Riviera when a carefree paddleboarding excursion came to... Read More
Stranded in Èze was inspired by an unexpected day on the French Riviera when a carefree paddleboarding excursion came to an abrupt end after one of our paddles exploded, leaving my friends and me stranded—sunburnt, soaking wet, and decidedly underdressed—at one of Èze's luxury beach clubs. What began as an idyllic Mediterranean summer day took an unexpected turn when two close friends shared the news that they had both unexpectedly lost their jobs, just as a decadent, perfectly arranged bowl of prawns arrived at our table. I found myself caught between trying to make sense of their grief and being irresistibly drawn to the extraordinary beauty surrounding us.
The work explores the paradox of loss and abundance, where personal upheaval unfolds against the seductive beauty of the Mediterranean. The mysterious woman was inspired by a beachgoer sitting alone nearby in a polka-dot dress, transformed into a quieter, more universal figure. Although the beach clubs in Èze are entirely white, I introduced bold graphic stripes to create rhythm and contrast, reassembling memory into a composition that captures the emotional truth of that day rather than its literal appearance.
