Eric Mangen

Eric Mangen

Quiberville : Mémoires de Paysages

23.05.2026 - 18.07.2026

Opening on Saturday 23 May at 12:30

Éric Mangen’s brushstroke is quick and vigorous, its momentum fuelling the energy of the painting gesture. But just as with a horse’s gallop, as he explains, the reins must be loosened from time to time. This back-and-forth between restraint and letting go defines Mangen’s intuitive relationship with space and the canvas. To capture that fleeting impulse, he likes to stage compositional accidents, which he then evens out, softening the image by diluting the colours. Moistened papers and random drops of colour allow the materiality of the paint to unfold as drippings, which he keeps in check to make sure the fortuitous remains fortunate. For as the impulse quickly recedes, another process begins, where the improvised explosion and the chaos of the line give way to a moment of recovery designed to preserve what must be preserved. In the tradition of Action Painting, control always comes at a later stage, allowing the painting to structure itself. These processes, which carry over from one series to the next, are also found in this new variation inspired by the landscapes and skies of the small seaside resort of Quiberville-sur-Mer in Normandy. Mangen soaked in the atmosphere of the wind-swept coastline to later recreate its essence in his studio. The cliffs, the pebble beaches and the gray and green shades of the ocean are brought to life using a simple visual vocabulary drawn from sources beyond mere geometric abstraction. Mangen recreates from memory the shifting tones of the sky, the steep ridges of a rock face, the curve of a green hill and the crest of waves crashing against the rocks, which are highlighted with chalk – white chalk derived directly from the pebbles gathered on the shore. The fact that the horizon line is inverted hardly matters. After all, the aim is to reveal the impressions left by the landscape and the light, even if it means turning the painting on its head. These works, created without fixed rules, prioritize chromatic dynamics and the expressiveness of forms. Above all, through his sensitive brushwork, Mangen favors a simplicity of expression that allows him to merge with his surroundings.

Raya Lindberg, May 2026