New Indian Express, Saturday 14 February 2004
Thoughts on canvas
For Martine Quentric Seguy, painting is one way of portraying ideas, expressing the thoughts which she cannot say with words
"HYMNES à L'amour" are a set of paintings that eulogise love in its varied forms. A look at the paintings on display at Aurodhan Heritage Guest House reveal the strokes of a professional... the artist, Martine Quentric Seguy...
Thepaintings: "In Morning Light", "Aum and Prem", "Mother and Child", "Yes!", "The Gopis Dance" and "The Kiss", portray love between God and humans, humans and God, mother and child, man and woman. The pictures are signed with an 'Om' written in Sanskrit over a heart-shaped symbol.
Martine Quentric Seguy has been painting for the last 40 years and has displayed her works across the world, including countries like Pakistan and Belgium... She paints slowly: "I do hot believe in rushing things up, especially art," she says.
There is no deliberate choice of themes. "I paint whatever ideas come to my mind when I meditate", she says. Also a writer and story-teller Martine Quentric Seguy always slips into meditation before beginning to paint. "When ideas emerge, I would write down the imagery that flits by in my mind. I paint the feelings which I cannot say with words," she says.
Though Quentric Seguy does not have a formal training in art, she has learnt Chinese calligraphy, Muslim calligraphy, Occidental calligraphy and also the art of Icon, where the face of Gods alone are painted, from wprkshops. "This helped me develop a simple technique to convey ideas fast. Painting is one such way," she says.
Quentric Seguy does not paint to kill time. "I always paint because I like to tell stories or ideas and painting is one means to portray ideas. When I get a good inspiration I even paint late into the night," she says.
This is only the second exhibition Quentric Seguy has held in Pondicherry though she has travelled extensively in India. "I have visited northern India especially Hrishikesh and Kerala where I spent a spiritual life", she says.
The paintings are on display at Aurodhan Gallery,
33 Rue Francois Martin, Kuruchikuppam,
till February 29.V Ayyappan
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