Official Website Jean De Cluni
Welcome
This official website features the art studio and original contemporary art of Jean De Cluni, a French artist based in Lesquerde, in the south of France.
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Small artistic parody there : in french
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Upcycling
You have in your attic or your garage remains of faience, paint pots still available, wood etc… Instead of taking his remains to the scrapyard, I collect even broken tiles, the remains of paintings in the bottoms of pots, wood….
You can deposit them when you come to see my next exhibition…or by calling me.
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Next SOLO exhibition
2025 calendar : may 15 to july 6 ” Travel Travel ” …
cultural programming there :
And two new places :
“BALADE EN TERRE D ARTISTES ” 10 and 11 may 2025 two places to visit.
For 2 days, opening of my workshop on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May and presentation of my current work in Lesquerde, Heterotopia Gallery, 1 rue de la carreyrade Lesquerde.
Then, in the company of 40 local artists, presentation of a series of 120 paintings at the thermal baths, Pont de la fou, Saint Paul de Fenouillet.
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A new artwork project in progress
Study in progress for the creation of a stained glass window in a church centre region for mars 2025.
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New art report by Artprice
The global market in decline: understanding the one-third decline
The year 2024 has not been easy. A complex and turbulent geopolitical and economic context has weighed on the Art Market, resulting in a reduction of activity on the premium segments in New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.
What happened to you? In an unstable climate, the wealthiest buyers have slowed down their investments, while sellers have preferred to delay, rarefying the offer of exceptional works.
As a result, the ultra-premium segment, which is the traditional engine of auctions, has slowed down significantly, accentuating the contraction in global earnings that began in 2023.
Download here : in french
https://fr.artprice.com/artprice-reports/le-marche-de-lart-en-2024
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Death in Art
Death is largely removed from daily life, both geographically (due to cemeteries being located far from urban centers, but we can find it in UK, in the center of London) and socially (as death is often considered a taboo subject).
In this context, the text argues that it has become urgent to reinsert death into our collective consciousness.
The idea of dying, rather than simply disappearing, is presented as a crucial moment that proves we have existed and were once part of the living world.
Death Evacuated from Daily Life:
The text begins with the observation that modern society has largely removed death from public view. Cemeteries are relegated to the outskirts of cities, and death is not a topic openly discussed in social interactions.
It is treated as something uncomfortable and inconvenient. In response, the text emphasizes the importance of reintegrating death into our collective understanding, making it a part of ongoing cultural discourse.
Art as a Means of Expressing Suffering and Death:
Several contemporary artists are cited who engage with death and suffering in their works.
They use materials and symbols associated with death to create art that forces the viewer to confront their own relationship with mortality.
For example, Michel Journiac is mentioned for his exploration of the body and death through art, where he used his own suffering as material for his creative expression.
By offering his body for art, he engaged in a deep confrontation with the inevitable end of life. These artists seek to challenge the taboo surrounding death and expose the emotional complexities related to separation and loss.
Death and Eternity:
The concept of eternity is explored through artworks that deal with the memory, immortality, and the desire to preserve the memory of the dead in monuments, tombs, or statues.
For instance, Xavier Zimbardo is highlighted for his photographic works that capture tombs, mausoleums, and statues found in cemeteries.
His photographs aim not only to honor the deceased but to emphasize the distance between contemporary society and the reality of death.
His works act as a reminder that, despite all efforts to escape or ignore death, it remains an unavoidable and inescapable part of human existence.
Beauty and Suffering Related to Death:
Another aspect of the text addresses the relationship between beauty and death.
Through depictions of “beautiful disappearances” or “weeping statues,” the artists portrayed the intersection of beauty and suffering.
These works challenge the way society values beauty in the context of grief and how death can be sublimated into something aesthetic.
The faces of the departed, or statues in cemeteries, are portrayed as beautiful remnants of lives once lived, reflecting both respect and the inevitable passage of time.
Art as a Mediation Between the Living and the Dead:
What stands out in the text is the idea that art serves as a medium between life and death. The artist, through their work, allows society to confront death without necessarily falling into despair. Art becomes a way to process, represent, and even accept mortality.
Contemporary artists, by dealing directly with themes of death and suffering, offer a form of resistance against the silence that surrounds death in modern culture.
Artists like Damien Hirst, Kara Walker, Marina Abramović, and Jeff Koons are also involved in exploring similar themes:
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Damien Hirst is known for works like The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, where a shark is preserved in formaldehyde. This piece confronts viewers with the stark reality of death .
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Kara Walker often explores the themes of race, death, and memory, using stark, silhouetted imagery to address historical and contemporary violence.
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Marina Abramović, through her performances, frequently engages with themes of endurance, life, death, and suffering. Her performance The Artist is Present reflects the physical and emotional endurance of the artist.
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Jeff Koons, known for his shiny, polished sculptures, often merges beauty with death, as his work questions the nature of memorials and the commodification of grief.
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A world without colors
This small article presents a reflection on the gradual disappearance of colors from our natural and urban environments, while emphasizing the profound implications of this phenomenon for the planet and humanity.
A small Gallic village resists with the artist Jean De Cluni at its head who puts color everywhere with a large sculpture . A little ahead of his time …
The World is Losing Its Colors: A Grayed Future
By Jean De Cluni
For the past few decades, Earth seems to be fading gradually into a veil of gray.
Scientists are now referring to this phenomenon as “the great discoloration,” an alarming trend with origins that are both biological, climatic, and even societal.
As we observe the ongoing changes to our planet, one question remains: is the world losing its colors?
An Invisible Yet Very Real Phenomenon
The first observations date back to the early 2000s, when researchers began to notice changes in the pigments of plants, oceans, and even skies.
While many animal and plant species are undergoing genetic mutations or facing extinction, a more subtle yet equally worrying side effect seems to be taking shape: the reduction of chromatic diversity in nature.
Experts are now talking about a progressive “graying” of the planet, where species that were once vibrant with bright colors are losing their pigments.
Coral reefs, once the multicolored jewels of the oceans, are bleaching.
Tropical forests, with their hues of green, yellow, and red, are turning into dull landscapes of faded greens. Even the northern lights, those mesmerizing light displays, are losing their intensity.
The Impact of Climate Change
The reasons for this transformation are multiple. Climate change, first and foremost, plays a central role in this process.
Rising sea temperatures, increased CO2 levels, and atmospheric pollution are affecting the health of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Ocean acidification and global warming alter the chemical composition of waters, impacting the pigmentation of algae and coral.
Moreover, massive industrialization and rapid deforestation have led to the destruction of natural habitats and the extinction of certain species whose bright colors were signs of resilience or adaptation.
Ecosystems in crisis, under constant pressure, appear to be shrinking, leaving behind a much more limited palette.
A Less Stimulating World?
The loss of color isn’t just confined to nature. It’s also infiltrating our cities and way of life. Gray is becoming the norm in contemporary urban design, as buildings, streets, and even clothing are turning into muted and monotonous shades.
Society itself seems to be adopting a “colorless” lifestyle, with minimalist visuals where contrast and chromatic diversity are reduced to the bare minimum.
But beyond the aesthetic, this loss of color could have psychological repercussions on human beings. Studies show that colors have a direct impact on our emotions and well-being.
The blue of the oceans, the green of forests, or the red of flowers all have calming or energizing effects. In a world with fewer colors, one could wonder if this absence might result in apathy or even depression among individuals.
Fighting “Graying”: Possible Solutions
In the face of this concerning phenomenon, some experts and activists are calling for collective awareness.
One of the major challenges is slowing the effects of climate change, but also preserving biodiversity and threatened ecosystems. Initiatives aimed at replanting tropical forests, preserving coral reefs, and protecting wetlands are essential in reversing this trend.
Urban projects are also emerging to bring color back to our cities.
Green rooftops, walls adorned with vibrant murals, and colorful public spaces are all initiatives to restore life to our urban landscapes and make living environments more stimulating.
A World Without Colors?
In the near future, if this trend continues, the world could indeed find itself in a nearly monochromatic reality.
But rather than simply accepting this shift, it is possible to take action. Restoring colors, whether natural or human-created, could become one of the most significant challenges of this century.
Perhaps it will be humans themselves who must give Earth back its hues, by protecting what remains and cultivating a new form of “collective painting” for the future.
The world has not yet lost all its colors, but it is clear that our responsibility toward this discoloration is more important than ever.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jan/09/the-sad-beige-aesthetic-why-has-the-world-suddenly-turned-taupe
https://www.archdaily.com/993197/is-the-world-less-colorful-highlighting-the-color-evolution-of-objects-and-spaces
https://stuyspec.com/article/fifty-shades-of-gray-the-world-is-losing-color
Deciphering the Enigma of Color Loss: Why Has the World Become More Gray
other sources :
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“Color and psychological functioning: a review of theoretical and empirical work” (Psychological Bulletin)
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“Color vision and the brain: The role of color in object recognition” (Trends in Cognitive Sciences)
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“The role of color in memory and cognition: A review of color priming and color affect” (Journal of Experimental Psychology)
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Abstraction in my artistic work
New art collection for 2025
Abstraction
The goal for 2025 is to continue my work on the accumulation of small format works. The aim is to change the perception of work by permutation of painted elements.
Currently the works are around 120 and the goal is to reach 200 at the end of the process ( 2021 – 2024 serie )
Figurative
Towards the figurative, I continue to improve my work on my small characters in an abstract landscape for a large exhibition in another art gallery than mine .
At the moment with 25 pieces all format, I am a little tight and I hope to reach 30 to 35 pieces this summer.
Blue is my favorite color and here are the reasons for this attraction with the following text .
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History of colors
The blue color in art : my preference for paintings and sculpture
For over a century, blue has established itself as the favorite color of Westerners, far surpassing red, which was once its great rival in the history of tastes and symbols.
Today, this preference transcends borders and cultures: from France to Russia, from the United States to New Zealand, blue captivates all social categories and age groups.
Despite some, like historian, archivist, and specialist in the history of symbolic systems Michel Pastoureau, describing this enthusiasm as consensual, it is, however, a relatively recent phenomenon.
Indeed, blue was absent from Paleolithic caves, where primarily red, ocher, or black tones are found. During Antiquity, this color did not yet hold a central place in societies.
In Greece, blue was considered a shade close to black, associated with negative, even ominous connotations.
But in Rome, it symbolized foreign and barbarian peoples, who were depicted with blue eyes perceived as malevolent.
A notable exception to this aversion to blue can be found in Pharaonic Egypt, where this color was particularly esteemed.
The Egyptians developed an artificial pigment known as “Egyptian blue,” used to adorn frescoes and objects, and associated with divine protection and royal power.
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone of deep blue, also played a key role in the history of this color. Originating from the Sar-e-Sang mines located in the remote mountains of northeastern Afghanistan, this stone was already being mined over 6,000 years ago.
It was exported throughout the Middle East, reaching Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and, much later, medieval Europe.
For the Egyptians, lapis lazuli was sacred, often ground into powder to create pigments or used in the form of jewelry, amulets, and funerary objects, notably in the adornments of pharaohs and the decorations of tombs
Exemple blue art in my sculpture bellow and its effect with nature and flowers.
An art space in a small rural village is a very rare opportunity to bring culture to people far away from everything. The project next paragraph :
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Exhibition project
The name of the art gallery
The Heterotopia Art Gallery is the perfect place to explore exciting new works of art. the idea of creating a presentation space dates from 2016 with work starting in 2019.
Afterward slowed down during the period 2020-2022 by problems due to covid, lack of materials etc…
The entire project should be completely completed in 2024 to show exhibitions art.
From traditional to modern, the collection is extensive and diverse as a gallery.
Accordingly it is dedicated to exhibiting and promoting a wide range of styles and art forms.
Heterotopia ART GALLERY
By providing a platform to view and discuss art, Heterotopia Art Gallery encourages creative dialogue and exploration.
Through its exhibitions, conferences and workshops, it helps to foster a better appreciation of art and its role in our lives.
It’s offers you a great opportunity to explore something new and find inspiration.
Come explore this unique art gallery and discover why it’s the perfect place to unleash your creativity.
At the moment, the opening of the gallery is mainly in warm weather from mid-May to mid-October depending on the stock of tables to be presented.
Make sure I am open before going through but you can see the monumental sculpture of the road for curiosity. ( contact me with email : jeandecluni@gmail.com )
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Season program 2025
Welcome to our next contemporary exhibition, “Heterotopia art Gallery”, where we invite you to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of abstract paintings.
This showcase is a celebration of artistic freedom and an exploration of limitless possibilities in the realm of abstraction.
Shortly 2025 : Meanwhile, the last season below. Previous all seasons there :>>> Go there
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With my online store
This is my first online store. You can find some of my most recent productions.
This is currently my “abstraction” series composed of more than 50 pieces, a series started in 2019.
Artworks, mainly oil paintings, require considerable time to create.
And discover LESQUERDE, a small village in the South of France, Cathar landscape.
Lesquerde, L’Esquèrda in Occitan, is a French commune located in the north of the Pyrénées-Orientales department, in the Occitanie region.
Historically and culturally, the town is located in the Fenouillèdes, an elongated depression between the Corbières and the Pyrenees massifs .
It’s covering almost the entire Agly basin, river crossing this one.
Exposed to a Mediterranean climate, it is drained by the Agly. The town has a remarkable natural heritage: a Natura 2000 site (the “Basses Corbières”) and three natural areas of ecological, fauna and flora interest.
Lesquerde is a rural commune with 139 inhabitants in 2020. It is part of the Perpignan catchment area. What a remarkable place to visit :
The beautiful but rough landscape gave me the desire to realize a functional and aesthetic sculpture. To see the context and conditions of the project, discover below the different stages of creation.
This is my first major sculpture ! Project bellow:
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Sculpture project in Lesquerde
Blue monumental sculpture
A major monumental sculpture project is in progress on the artist’s land.
Check out the concept, from the origin of the idea to the implementation phases here.
To discover the long project in progress: Go there >>>
After the artworks have been completed, art sales are used to finance the next subjects. The market is very fluctuating at a global level and particularly difficult in this remote territory.
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State of the art market below:
THE ART MARKET
Artmarket in the world 2024
Last news market 2024 tendency : le Figaro >>>
All things considered, the art market refers to the buying and selling of works of art.
We can find paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and other forms of visual art.
It functions as a global marketplace in which artists, collectors, galleries, dealers and auction houses participate.
Afterwards, the art market is a complex and dynamic system influenced by various factors.
We can noticed economic trends, cultural changes and individual tastes.
>>> more details Art market and art fair 2022
or copy the link below into your browser:
https://www.artbasel.com/about/initiatives/the-art-market
>>> News from the 2023 Art Market
The art market has new art products such as Nft and IA . NFT (non-fungible tokens) and AI are revolutionizing art by opening up new creative and economic opportunities.
The NFT certifies the uniqueness and ownership of digital works, fostering new models for sale and exchange.
The AI provides tools to generate, transform or collaborate in artistic creation, pushing the limits of human imagination.
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Introduction to AI
Public outcry and personnal heated rant
Public :
Outcries, whether personal or collective, are common in the art world, especially in response to works perceived as scandalous or provocative.
They often arise when a piece challenges conventions, offends sensibilities, or questions cultural and social values.
Conflicting opinions
On one hand, the public frequently expresses outrage at creations deemed mediocre, pointless, or offensive.
On the other hand, art enthusiasts or experts sometimes passionately defend historical masterpieces or criticize decisions they see as devaluing, such as replacing an ancient artwork with a contemporary piece considered “mediocre.”
These reactions, whether fueled by anger or thoughtful arguments, highlight the central role of art in cultural debates and its power to evoke strong emotions. Please find here my latest reviews : >>> soon
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Social Networks
Quick contact
Phone : 0661405175 mail : decluni.jean@gmail.com
Lesquerde location : 