Mediterranean Hinterland, Recent works by Thomas Verny

About

Creating an ensemble dedicated to the different aspects of the Mediterranean landscape has been the object of my research these last few years. It is a kind of a painted diary, incorporating views taken on the spot, form every hour and every season.

The use of a unique format, 18.5x24cm, suited to a spontaneous execution came about naturally. So did the composition made from the grouping of these units. These groupings enable the rendering of the changes in the landscapes and the presentation of an element under different angles.

Looking for a kind of objectivity, I was equally interested in representing nature as I was villages and towns, and new territories where human activity and development have left their imprints.

This series of works was painted on the land stretching from Lodève and Montpeyroux, on an itinerary  bordering the Causses, recently listed as a Unesco world heritage site. It follows a day-night rhythm, which symbolises the race against the light the painter experiences when trying to finish his work.

If the grandeur of certain natural sites makes them an ideal subject matter for contemplation, the part of life present in the new business parks renders them a theme worthy of the greatest interest for who  wants to consider them. It is the closeness of  these two opposing worlds that I have tried to put forward and transcend in this series of pastels