artiste d'mon >>> michelle blessemaille

The Dark Surreal World of
Michelle Blessemaille
Interview by: silverio pantalla

Who is Michelle Blessemaille?
Basically, a dust on earth, a drop in the sea just trying to reduce the so called human supremacy; an always opened ear for all animals, minerals and vegetables sufferings; an endless cry of revolt; a fighter; a dreamer; a timeless sentry; a work, gin and cigarettes addict; and surely somewhere a mistake!

What is art, to you?
A need, and outlet to exorcize my fears, a way to share what I feel and to make people more sensitive, less materialist; a way to ask them silent questions about themselves. Art is a permanent calling into question, introspection, but also and endless search for excellency.

Unfortunately, nowadays it's also a hackneyed word.

Do you choose your subjects or do they choose you?
Both. In fact there is two steps in my process of creation. The first one is taking pictures of landscapes, cemeteries, castles, churches or animals for instance. At that time, I choose my subjects.

The second step is quiet different: After scanning one picture, I just wait, sitting in front of my PC, looking at the picture until unconsciously, something emerges. It's as if all elements prisoners of the picture whispered: Hey, instead of just looking us with your eyes, just open your mind, we have memories, explore us, things are never what they look like!

It's really hard to explain because during this step I'm just a tool. And what makes all of this so both amazing and interesting is that beginning a work; I never know what it'll look like at the end! It's always a surprise, good or bad!

Describe your typical day at work?
Wake up at 6am, share breakfast with Timy my cat. Then a day at the office, I'm project manager. Back home at 6pm, feed and pet Timy and then artistic works till 11 or 12pm. In fact it depends on my cat!

How would you describe your artistic vision?
You know, many years ago, someone refused to hire me arguing I was mystic! At that time, I didn't understand and took it very badly. I became aware the guy was right with my photomontages.

My artistic vision is mystic, gothic, surrealist, pure and despaired!

What is your most important goal in life as a person and as an artist?
As a person: to preserve the wonderful patrimony we share: earth.

As an artist: making people more perceptive to what they're surrounded by. I mean, why creating ET while ignoring animals, plants, stones think and live emotionally? Humans are taken in the never-ending rush they created. I just want them stopping a while, and opening their sensitivity on what is making life. Life is too short to waste it!

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet and why?
So many people, so many indeed; V Wolf, T S Eliot, E M Forster, J Green,T Mann, but maybe above all Luchino Visconti, the moviemaker.

All these people were geniuses and shared the same hyper sensibility. It's a severe illness you know, but the kind that makes you giving the very best of yourself.

How would you describe "My Darkness"?
Most of my works are dark and despaired, haunted by sculptures or painted persons, endless prisoners of a life they can't quit. It's my greatest fear, keep on living after death! So I try to exorcize it!

Some other works are surrealist, a way to share my great sense of self-derision!

Who have been some of your main influences as an artist and a person?
Writers and moviemakers already cited, Magritte, Dali and L. Fini for the painters; Vivaldi,and Purcell for music; then my cat of course!

Then all these people I never met but who made my genetic card!

What are your immediate plans for the future?
Work, work, work; and try stopping cigarettes!