Emerging Talent - Keeping a close eye on Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux

Long before the pandemic threatened our freedom of movement, we were inspired enough by the artist, Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux’s “Le Cri”, that we set out to Paris to meet the artist in person to learn more about his vision. "Le Cri" stands on its own, barely tempting us to compare it with the famous Edvard Munch work “The Scream”, which bears the same title in English. “Le Cri” is a clear, almost audible expulsion of the rawest emotion. It was already relatable to many of us, representing the climaxes of inevitable traumas and frustrations. Nowadays, we all want to erupt with the added pressure of uncertainty during the covid-19 outbreak, which has provided another layer of stress on top of other injustices we face in modern society, whether it be race, gender, religion, economic situation. “Le Cri” has become an emblem of the present. 

"Le Cri",  Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, Mixed Media.

(Limited Edition Available on lesiles.com)

Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, a student at the distinguished L’Ecole nationale supérieure des Beaux-arts de Paris is at the budding stages of his career and legacy. His depth of thought and his physical composure depict an artist with decades of experience and development. His talent and vision are exceptional.

Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux Portrait, provided by the artist 

Culture and Influences

Elladj draws on spirituality and symbolism within Afro-Caribbean heritage and daily life, to establish a profound understanding of his own history and culture beyond Western civilization. His work is intimate in this way, observing and documenting the ethnology of ancient role models, to construct a foundation for his expression.

“I speak from a very personal place. It was important for me to have a very strong foundation to build my practice on, and that meant knowing my history. And not just about slavery, but going back to my origins. Knowing classical African history, African and Afro-Caribbean spiritualities and ancient Egyptian history. In this history I was looking for role models.”

“[In terms of Artists] I really like William Foresythe. He does more installation work. I really like installation pieces to be able to interrogate. Kerry James Marshall is another.

From the Caribbean, musicians, performers and writers like Aime Cesaire from Martinique.”

“Gardiennes ancestrales”, oil, collage, Source: provided by the artist
 

"Reborn",  Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, Photograph (available on lesiles.com)

 

I’m not sure what we expected of the artist. The high intensity of the work that motivated the visit, perhaps had us all expect Elladj to be a certain way. Maybe we anticipated a distinctly bold character in the creator himself, since he understood, and so astutely translated such energy through a controlled paint palette. And in person, he lives up to this unmistaken power. But  Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, as we have come to know, is also a deeply sensitive, soft spoken, warm gentleman. A family man. Born in 1995 on the island of Guadeloupe, Elladj left his home island at the age of 8 for Paris, with his mother, father and siblings. His family makes many appearances in his work. The image of his mother is used to portray a spiritual figure in one piece. “The Little Prince” in another, is his nephew. His siblings and friends are also  featured in much of his photography. Below is one of our favourite of his works, "Symbiose" featuring his younger brother and sister in a peaceful rest under the soft, grey fabric, symbolizing a Mother's curvature of the hips and safe embrace.

“Symbiose”, Photograph, Source: Instagram @elladjlincy

The piece titled “Structure'' also caught our attention, for its brilliant yet playful composition of his friends on a nearby construction site.

“Structure”,  Elladj Lincy Deloumeaux, Photograph (Available on lesiles.com)

After a personal tour of the campus, the artist welcomes us into his studio space to sit among huge canvases, of his works in varying stages of completion. With the aid of a translator, and someone to hold a phone up for recording, Elladj shares in a vibrant conversation about the artist’s idealities and practice.

At Elladj’s studio space at Les Beaux-Arts de Paris, Source: LES ÎLES

 

Les Beaux-Arts de Paris Courtyard, Source: LES ÎLES


On Black Art and “Le Cri”

Often people tell me that I only make black art because I represent people with black skin. But it is much deeper than that. It’s about emotions and history. I find it a shame when people stop just at the colour of skin and they don’t try to understand what I’m trying to communicate.

The scream that I’m representing [in “Le Cri”] is a cry that comes from the interior of the body. I’m trying to exteriorise through this image all of the history and emotions. The scream wants to break down walls and borders. Even more than the colour of a subject’s skin, I wanted to express this action of shouting that everyone can identify with.”

 

Ideas and Development

“With my own body, I’m very tall and very flexible, and I have hands like spiders! I’ve always tried to push the limits of my body to see what I could do with it through my artistic vision.

I have a project where I’m very interested in imitating the environment. Interacting with and interrogating the environment with my body. To me it’s like making a collage.”

“Connexion", Source: Instagram @elladjlincy

The future

“I haven’t really thought about it. I live from day to day. I would like to continue with my painting.

I like touching on everything but eventually I’d like to do Artistic direction. I like working in groups. I like working with people who come from different backgrounds and who touch at other cultures. It would be interesting to do projects in common with those people.”


Why Collectors should keep a close eye on Elladj

Elladj brings a mix of sensitivity, truth and homage to Modern Caribbean Culture, that crosses history, generations and geographies. His point of view transcends the scope of colonialism and post-colonialism in a regional sense, as he accesses centuries old stories and biographies of African civilizations on the Continent, as well as the subsequent eras within the Antilles. As a student, in the beginning of his artistic journey, his voice cannot be ignored. He approaches each work with meticulous observation and intricateness, aiming to reveal in each character, a revelation of what is in their soul and the souls of their forefathers. The emotional communication he translates in this mission, exacts a visceral response. Collectors of his work benefit from having living, breathing art on their walls no matter what medium he chooses. We are very honoured that he has trusted our platform to share some of his select works with the world. Eagerly we anticipate the evolution and expansion of this stunning artist, who we expect to adore for decades to come.