Tony Masschelein is a French painter born in Roubaix in the north of France in 1973. Since his childhood he has had a passion for the visual arts and is interested in comic books. During his college years, he learned to master the pencil through the portraits he sketched of his teachers in his school notebooks.
Tony Masschelein discovers painting in museums and becomes impregnated with its mystery, the artistic part of his being does not cease to reveal itself but Tony Massechelin is also a traveller and little by little the call of new horizons is felt. He began by going to Paris where he met many people who intensified his desire to discover the world. Tony Masschelein then began to alternate his first jobs with longer and longer trips for several years. He felt a vital need to go and meet other cultures, and he discovered India, Thailand and South-East Asia in particular. The successive trips became initiatory journeys, and Tony discovered Buddhism and the path to self-realisation. Several meditative retreats in monasteries contributed to finding the rightness of his inner self. These long stays on the edge of the world, his view at a fair distance developed by a self-confidence built up through encounters, will enable him in 2005 to realise his childhood dream, the brush finally becomes his profession, he invests his studio.
For Tony, painting is a game of colours, materials and lights, the subject becomes the support for an artistic expression that he wants to be free. He opens up to the work of Zao Wou Ki and his spiritual abstractions because for Tony Masschelein painting is a score, it has its own musicality and borders on an initiatory experience. He is passionate about composition, form becomes a pretext for creation. Tony Masschelin defines himself as a painter of the end of the 19th century who likes to mix writings. He creates portraits with fascinating looks that reveal the interiority of the being, question, keep the mystery, destabilize through the palette that remains the artist's guide throughout the creation:
"Painting is a rhythmic interweaving of musical pages" T.M
Tony Masschelein has always put painting on a pedestal, it is both the mystery and the mirror of the soul, it is the invisible.
Portraits, landscapes, still lifes, abstractions... Tony Masschelin forbids himself nothing, the subject is only a pretext for expression, freedom takes precedence, the composition is born, the visitor's gaze is disturbed, emotion is more than ever present.
Tony Masschelein : The gallery's words
The encounter with Tony's work came about through a colleague who was exhibiting his portrait work at the Lille Salon in 2023. Captivating...more than that, Tony's paintings are disturbing, mysterious, overwhelming. One immediately perceives an extreme sensitivity, an ability to pierce the soul buried behind faces that might seem academic and yet are not. The subsequent discovery of nudes and still lifes provoked the same sensation, a part of the intimate, the play of light, of materials in a bright palette that transport us to the heart of the subject, the gaze moves from the outside to the inside of the scene. Then the meeting of the artist, passionate and discreet, open and modest, who speaks of his painting with all his being. I am happy to share with you this favorite, which far from merging with artistic trends, puts the spotlight back on the great painters of the 19th century who would observe our contemporaries.
Born in Paris in 1972, Virginie Mézan de Malartic grew up in an environment rich in creative influences, directly inherited from her architect father and decorator mother. From a very young age, she devoted her free time to drawing, immersing herself in visual universes that would later shape her work. Two iconic pieces, The Magpie by Monet and The Woman with Blue Eyes by Modigliani, sparked her interest in painting and defined the central themes of her art: light, elegance, and mystery.
Interior Scenes Full of Poetry and Depth
Virginie Mézan de Malartic specializes in figurative painting, focusing primarily on interior scenes where every element seems steeped in history. Her compositions, like the one visible in Haven of Peace, are characterized by their theatrical ambiance: elegantly drawn curtains, rich colors, and soft light caressing abandoned objects, suggesting a story suspended in time.
In her recent works, characters sometimes disappear, yet their presence is subtly implied through clues left behind: a neglected book, a draped fabric, or an architectural detail that draws the eye. Absence becomes a narrative space, inviting viewers to imagine the past or future of these emotionally charged settings.
Mastery of Technique and the Quest for Light
Oil painting, applied with a palette knife in successive layers, lies at the heart of Virginie Mézan de Malartic’s artistic approach. This technique allows her to craft textures and transparencies with rare precision, giving her canvases an almost tangible depth. Chiaroscuro, omnipresent in her work, enhances the composition by playing with contrasts between shadow and light, further enriching the intimate and mysterious atmosphere of her scenes.
An Artist Recognized on the International Scene
In 2004, Virginie decided to fully dedicate herself to her passion for painting. Since then, she has exhibited her work in prestigious venues such as the Salon Art en Capital at the Grand Palais in Paris and the Pierre Cardin Space. Her paintings, displayed in galleries across Paris, Brussels, and London, captivate an international audience with their refinement and sensitivity.
Virginie Mézan de Malartic does not merely paint interior scenes: she composes fragments of life, open-ended stories where every detail invites reverie. Blending elegance and mystery, her painting captures the very essence of timeless beauty.
The Words of the Gallery, Virginie Mezan de Malartic
I had been following Virginie’s work for several years. I remember being captivated by her use of chiaroscuro, both at an art fair and in galleries representing her, particularly by her depictions of interiors devoid of human presence. Then, at just the right moment, a proposal from her agent convinced me. I am delighted to share with you this soothing, introspective, and meditative universe.
Marcos Rodrigo: A Journey Through Tradition and Modernity
Born in Old Castile in 1957, Marcos Rodrigo grew up in an environment steeped in tradition. At the age of 4, his family moved to a small village in the Lot region, where he discovered the raw beauty of the natural landscapes and materials. Influenced by his father, a sculptor and craftsman, he was introduced early on to the art of shaping wood and stone, developing a profound sensitivity to textures and materials.
As a teenager, he refined his talent for drawing, finding solace in visual arts during his years in boarding school. The solitude of this period fueled his imagination, allowing him to explore the connection between line and emotion.
In the early 1990s, after several transformative journeys across Europe, Marcos Rodrigo began working with oil painting. A passionate autodidact, he drew inspiration from diverse sources: the grace of Italian Madonnas, the vibrant palettes of the Impressionists, the strength of Spanish painters, and the intensity of German Expressionists. These influences converged into a personal style that seamlessly blends classicism and modernity.
An active member of "Arts et Lettres de France" and "Artistes Indépendants", Marcos Rodrigo has been exhibiting his works since 1993 in individual exhibitions and salons across France and abroad, earning a prominent place in the contemporary art scene.
The Feminine Portrait: The Core of His Artistic Universe
At the heart of Marcos Rodrigo’s artistic expression lies the female portrait, which occupies a central role in his oeuvre. His depictions of women, at times enigmatic and at others expressive, convey a restrained sensuality. They reveal themselves in fragments, often protected by introspective poses or symbolic accessories that obscure part of their essence.
In his works, the women appear both near and unreachable, captivating the gaze yet never fully surrendering to it. This subtle tension creates a fascinating dialogue between the canvas and the viewer, where personal emotions and reflections intertwine.
Between European Tradition and Urban Vitality
While deeply rooted in European pictorial traditions, Marcos Rodrigo integrates a modern vitality into his works that evokes the energy of street art. His bold brushstrokes, layered textures, and material effects resemble urban walls weathered by time and marked by spontaneous artistic interventions.
Today, Marcos Rodrigo continues to captivate audiences with the richness and depth of his work. His portraits delve into the complexities of the human soul with rare intensity. Each canvas invites contemplation, merging intimacy with universality.
Marcos Rodrigo does not merely depict his subjects; he unveils their essence, offering viewers a visual and emotional experience like no other.
Marcos Rodrigo: The Words of the Gallery
I was familiar with Marcos' paintings and sculptures through my colleagues, and then Paul, his agent, introduced me to his latest works— even more expressive, with a powerful movement, a liberated gesture, a refined palette, and a breath of modernity, strength, and femininity, a subject he masters so well. I was inspired to represent his work in Bordeaux and to draw from his energy.
Marcos, speaking about this latest body of work, describes it as a moment of maturity and a newfound freedom finally expressed.
Christophe Ronel was born in 1964 in Rouen, Normandy. In a city imbued with painting, he had the privilege of growing up alongside his father, the landscape painter Marcel Laquay. Thus, from a very young age, Christophe Ronel absorbed this medium which he would never abandon. At the age of 10, he began to showcase his first paintings, and by 14, he was participating in collective exhibitions at the Rollin Gallery in Rouen, which also exhibited his father’s works. Then, at 17, the gallery offered him his first solo exhibition, an event Christophe speaks about with great emotion.
His exhibitions unfolded naturally, from Parisian salons to the Salon des Artistes Français at the Grand Palais, where he won the Gold Medal and the Grand Prize in 1993. Subsequently, his encounter with Suzanne Tarasiève, a prominent gallerist from Barbizon, proved to be decisive, marking the start of a collaboration spanning over 18 years.
An agrégé in fine arts, Christophe Ronel has also been teaching since 1990 at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Appliqués et Métiers d'Arts Olivier de Serres in Paris. The artist divides his time between his studio, the school, and travel, a rich combination that complements each other and serves as a source of inspiration.
Christophe Ronel began with landscape painting under the guidance of his father, then his work gradually traversed the influences of Fauvism, Expressionism, and the CoBrA movement, all under the influence of the free figuration of the late 1980s. From the early 1990s to 1993, large formats appeared, art brut came into play, the palette narrowed, and writing made its entrance, a path began to take shape. From 1993 to 1994, underlying figuration resurfaced but in a different way, and writing evolved. It was in the mid-1990s that the “Ronel spirit” took form, an artistic style nourished by travel, literature, and encounters. The artist would say that "the ultimate goal remains painting," with subjects posed, everything is yet to be done. Thus began a work of internalization, interpretation, and recomposition to recreate an artistic whole where narration takes the lead.
Christophe Ronel loves to be surprised, to seek out possibilities, to explore new compositions, to make shifts. He blends places, cultures, objects, everything is infinitely reinvented. What is less known is the importance of literature and words, which are inseparable from the creative process for the artist. The story continues from painting to painting, even incorporating the title of the work into the heart of the material. Books hold great importance; Christophe spontaneously cites "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino, "My Name is Red" by Orhan Pamuk, as well as the literature of the Maghreb and Japan, entire worlds to discover, cultures to explore, words and calligraphies to master.
For over thirty years, more than one 120 solo exhibitions have been dedicated to him, both in France and abroad, in galleries, cultural centers, and museums in Paris, Lille, Amiens, Le Touquet, La Baule, Rouen, Barbizon, Brest, Chartres, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nice, Saint Jean De Luz, Saint Malo, Brussels, Casablanca, Marrakech, Sousse, Hanover, Palm Beach, Singapore, and Tokyo. His paintings have notably been exhibited at the Château de Vascoeuil, the Abbey of Cercanceaux, the Palais Bénédictine of Fécamp, the Hôtel de Région in Rouen, the Archives of Chartres, the General Council of Seine Maritime, the Brittany Ferries collection, and at museums in Nice, the Bourdelle Museum in Paris, the Postal Museum in Paris, the Fine Arts Museum in Le Havre, Louviers, Châteauroux, Chartres, Brive, Aix-en-Provence, Girona, Sarajevo, Shanghai, the Art and Culture Center in Taegu, Korea, the Museum of Sarria, Spain, in Japanese museums in Matsumoto, Fukuoka, Nagano, the International Forum in Tokyo, the Aoyama Spiral Hall in Tokyo, the National Museum of China in Beijing, and the National Chinese Museum in Tianjin, as well as the National Museum of Taiwan.
Collections:
• Musée de Nice
• Fondation Compagnie Générale des Eaux
• Ville de Boulogne-Billancourt
• Conseil Général de Seine Maritime
• French Cultural Centers in Casablanca and Marrakech
• Museum of Sarajevo
• Brittany Ferries Company
• Cap Gemini
• Fondation Plage pour l'art
• Liquitex Laboratory, Le Mans
• Musée Daubigny, Auvers sur Oise
• Fondation OVALTO
Private Collections: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco, Lebanon, United States, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, China, Singapore, Japan, United Arab Emirates
Awards and Commissions:
• 1991: Prix Arletty, selected for the endowment
• 1992: Invited to the Grand Prix of Contemporary Art, Monaco
• 1993: Gold Medal and Grand Prix at the Salon des Artistes Français, Paris
• 1994: Selected for France-Japan, exhibited in 12 cities in Japan organized by L’Oeil magazine and Nippon Television
• 1998: Commissioned to paint the “Jules Verne Trophy” for Cap Gemini, Paris
• 2004: Rugale Michailov Prize from the Taylor Foundation
• 2010: Guest of Honor at the Vincennes Salon
• 2012: Invited to the Biennale Off, Park Hyatt, Al Maaden Golf - Marrakech
• Monumental works at the Marrakech Biennale, headquarters of the Alliances group, Casablanca
• 2014: Guest of Honor at the Salon des Artistes du Marais - Mairie de Paris - 4th arrondissement
• 2015: Guest of Honor at the Puls’Art Festival - Le Mans
• Created a 40 m² ceramic mosaic mural for the Moroccan Ministry of Culture - Historical Documentation Center of Essaouira
• 2018: Invited to the Kunst Doc Contemporary Art Festival in ULSAN - South Korea
• “Tribute to Marcel Duchamp” - Homage to the Norman ready-maker - Galerie de l’Hôtel de ville, Rouen
• 2022: Adolphe Gumery Prize from the Taylor Foundation awarded to a traveling painter
Christophe Ronel : Words from the gallery
It was 15 years ago, and I haven’t forgotten. While visiting the Lille Art Fair, I discovered Christophe Ronel’s paintings around a corner. Intrigued, I approached and entered this dreamlike world, losing myself in it. All my comings and goings brought me back to his work. Fifteen years later, and to my great delight, we are finally working together. It is an emotion as fresh as the first day that I wish to share with you.