With a background in architecture and a long career in global finance, I was always involved with art and closely followed art trends. My love of art led me eventually to Tajan where I learn daily and find delight in the creative spirit of many centuries. This absorbing art passion grew and expanded into a strong dedication to the art of our times and the development of the Gallery.
Through artist focused and thematic exhibitions presented several times a year, the Gallery has now become a creative trendsetter. It is a rich source to discover in Paris local and international new, emerging talent and rediscover overlooked or forgotten artistic movements and individual artists. Our goal is to share with the broadest public art, culture and our passion for innovation and creativity.
Beauty and art are the source of my continuing energy and excitement in this challenging world. My love of painting and never ending thirst for discovery lead me to regular visits to museums, galleries and artists’ studios on both sides of the Atlantic. These included regular visits to Beaux Arts in Paris to view and identify the promising students among the few dedicated to painting and sculpture. My persistent screening resulted in the joyful encounter with a group of very talented young artists: Christine Safa, Nathanaëlle Herbelin, Elene Shatberashvili, Sarah Maison, Garance Matton, Madeleine Roger-Lacan, Cécilia Granara and Joséphine Ducat.
These young women came from different parts of France, from Italy, from Georgia, from Lebanon and Israel, attracted by L’École des Beaux Arts of Paris. They became friends, they inspired, they encouraged and they supported each other. One by one they graduated and emerged as true Artists.
My dedication to painting and the materiality of sculpture and continuous search for new insights into their depth and mystery, made me discover my profound attraction to Portraiture. I finally understood that the portrait is the artist’s ultimate test because it requires the complete blending of exterior visual imagery with the expression of people’s innermost personal feelings. A successful portrait fuses perfectly artistic and conceptual mastery and is the absolute glorification of painting and sculpture. These young talented artists use painting and sculpture to better understand themselves, each other and their surroundings.
Whether Nathanaëlle Herbelin helps us visualize the complex and multi faceted society of Israel, or Christine Safa the beauty and extraordinary blues and ochre of the Lebanese sky, sea and mountains, they remind us that the power of painting to translate conceptual ideas and emotional feelings is unequaled. While Madeleine Roger-Lacan uses a mixture of materials, Josephine Ducat paints and fires the sculpted clay and wood, or Elene, Sarah, Cécilia and Garance play with color and texture, all of them are inspiring artists who embraced and delved into the mediums of painting and sculpture and contribute to making Paris again a shining art star.
History repeats itself. Once again, like in the first half of the XXth century, in the first part of the XXIst century Paris became a magnet for the young and talented.
Once again, a century later, after a long period of Post Duchanisme and only encouraging and defending conceptual art, L’École des Beaux Art and Paris have welcomed painters and are hosting and supporting lovers of painting. These young artists are proving again though their talent and ingenuity that painting will never die and that it could touch both our intellect and emotions like no other medium.
I am very proud to host at Tajan Gallery «Amies, Muses, ARTISTES». It is with great pleasure that I invite you all to come see a special exhibition dedicated to exceptional artists covering a fascinating subject.
Rodica Seward
