Infinite messages, floating symbols by Sebastien Dominici

Some time ago I told you about an extraordinary Turkish artist, whose works present a double message: seen from a distance they may seem to be a simple representation of a face; if we get closer, however, we discover something else entirely. The artist I am telling you about today encapsulates a similar concept in his works, albeit with a completely different style and techniques. His paintings present an immediate, even with a very strong impact, clear message. But if we get closer, we discover a world, a constellation of graphic symbols in which to get lost for a long time, searching for new meanings, in a painting that becomes almost a book, or an enigma.

This artist is Sebastien Dominici, French, born in 1978 in Bastia, the city where he still lives and works. What drew him to art was his pioneering passion for surfing and its culture, beginning to graphically customize, with success, surfboards produced by a friend of him (JVB Surfboards). The success of his graphics convinced him to move his messages to canvas, and soon several French art galleries gave him space. Another medium for which he is well known are skateboards, another sport of which he is a practitioner.

His passion for surfing has led him to travel all over the world, and a sensitive and open mind like him cannot help but be imbued with cultures, languages, symbols, struggles, and social engagement. His style features elements of pop culture, hurban, street art, and punk. His messages want to draw attention to global problems, injustices, social aspects and contemporary issues.

He uses a lot of different media to create his works: markers, pencils, collage, and acrylic colors, all distributed on different layers covered with resin as if the final work was the result of the sedimentation of different influences and moods.

His works present precisely two levels: the first message is clear and immediate, the main subject is the protagonist of the space and of great impact. But already from a distance we see that the painting is "full," the subject floats on a background of small elements, and as we get closer to the work we begin to discover them. So we are confronted with an immensity of graphic symbols, arrows, writing, and stylized elements, with a simple and almost "childlike" stroke, which are Dominici's true hallmark. The greatness, in my opinion, lies in the perfect "messy harmony" that these sub-elements manage to create with the main subject. It feels like looking at a wall of hieroglyphics, or a page of quickly taken notes. I am also reminded of those seemingly meaningless, but absolutely free drawings that we make when we are overthinking, when we are on the phone, or we are bored.

But here we are at a higher level, each individual symbol on the painting has a meaning, is part of the overall message or is message on its own. Sebastien wants us to get lost in front of his paintings, he wants us to keep discovering them, in an artistic emotion that never ends. He himself states that he does not like direct and essential impact, he wants the viewer to discover and be interested in his works for a long time, a painting that becomes a poster.

So go and get lost in Sebastien's works, go and decipher his symbols. But don't wait until you find them all to come back; it may take a long time.

Images from: https://www.acid-gallery.com/ , https://www.artsper.com/us/ , https://www.instagram.com/sebastien.dominici/