Nicolas Party, Vaudois Painter: 'I Researched Pastel and Discovered Rosalba Carriera'

Nicolas Party, a Vaudois painter now residing in New York, offers a glimpse into his artistic universe via video call. His studio, a spacious white room adorned with his own works and those of artists he admires, serves as the backdrop for his reflections on guiding stars and influential figures.

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I arrived at this book because I love Chris Marker's Sans Soleil, who is a fan of Hitchcock and particularly Vertigo, itself inspired by a French novel, D’entre les morts by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, written under the influence of Bruges-la-Morte.

Party's current exhibition in Brussels, titled "Toile d'araignée" (Spiderweb), draws inspiration from "Bruges-la-Morte," a symbolist novel by Georges Rodenbach. This literary connection stems from Party's admiration for Chris Marker's film "Sans Soleil," which itself is influenced by Hitchcock and a French novel that was, in turn, inspired by Rodenbach's work.

His artistic reach extends to Montreal, where a new fresco, "Arbres" (Trees), has been unveiled at the Musée des beaux-arts. Additionally, his work will be featured at Art Basel from June 18 to 21.

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It was a total explosion of discoveries: there was Unlimited, Liste, the Fondation Beyeler… So much art at the same time.

Recalling his first visit to Art Basel at age 19 or 20, Party describes it as an "explosion of discoveries," encompassing various art events like Unlimited, Liste, and the Fondation Beyeler. He also values art fairs for their social aspect, providing opportunities to connect with fellow artists, curators, and collectors.

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And when I started working with galleries, I loved the fairs for their social aspect. The opportunity to meet artists, curators, collectors…