Art, for painter Marijah Bac Cam (born in 1974 in Laos) has always been a manifestation of the “divine momentum that remains in all of us” and an exploration of the “surface-depth duality.” Now based in the commune of Uzès in southern France, Marijah studied visual arts at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, graduating back in 1998. A bread-and-butter job as an assistant teacher for five years, she says, slowed her down but after the birth of her eldest child, she moved to the countryside to devote herself entirely to painting.

Marijah considers herself a curious and impulsive artist who does not want to be locked into a single style or artistic expression. In her paintings, she plays with appearances, combining what – according to her – are “fragments of faces and animals” in organic threads. The pieces look like evolving molecular strands of matter and colour, works-in-progress that hope to condense to form some kind of meaningful whole.

“My influences are very close to lyrical abstraction, street art, textile design and Asian art,” says the painter. “I try to transcribe through painting and drawing what I perceive on the surfaces and in the depths of things – all this in gestures and lines. My main artists are Pierre Soulages, Hokusaï, Cy Twombly, Fabienne Verdier and Albert Oehlen. The message that I try to communicate is this – Do not rely on appearances. Things are always double-faced, whether in nature, words, actions or feelings.”

 

 

Marijah is currently working on a project called “21358SMart ” with Dutch artist Sander Steins. Her paintings have been exhibited and are included in collections across France, the USA, Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and China.

Discover more on Marijah’s website (www.marijah-baccam.com/art-etc), Saatchi Art profile (www.saatchiart.com/mbc), Instagram (www.instagram.com/marijahbaccam), Facebook (www.facebook.com/marijahrt), Twitter (@MarijahBacCam) and Tumblr (mbcmarijahbaccam.tumblr.com).

Images used with permission.