Etienne Quesnay

Etienne Quesnay (born in 1995) lives and works in Paris. For nearly a decade, he has been developing a deeply embodied body of work. Initially marked by an almost illustrative approach—faces with singular features, assertive lines, compositions imbued with dreamlike atmospheres—he quickly established a highly recognizable visual signature, distinct among all.

In parallel with a journey of introspection, both analytical and existential, his painting underwent a transformation. Contours dissolved, figures opened themselves to reality, ambiguity, and fracture. What he now erases on the canvas—lines, symbols, reference points—reflects a broader desire: to express the human being in all their complexity, mystery, and raw truth.

Oscillating between the sensitive and the psychoanalytical, his work evokes both intimate survivals and the silent tensions of contemporary life. Etienne Quesnay has exhibited internationally and is represented in Paris and China.

“My art emerges from thoughts, from lived moments — mine and those of others. It often rises in solitude, from certain pieces of music, certain atmospheres. It speaks about the human experience, where the feminine becomes a way to express how I see the world. Born from the realization that reality is meant to be lived, not escaped, it’s an art I want to keep gentle, honest, deep — filled with meaning and quiet winks.”

6 questions with Etienne Quesnay

We ask our emerging artists 6 questions to uncover what drives their work, practice, and creativity.

What themes or questions do you find recurring in your work?

My work used to be about dreams — but in hindsight, I think it was a way to deny reality. It was illustrative, full of strong lines and vivid colors. Then everything changed, suddenly, when I realized reality isn’t something to flee, but something to live. Therapy — psychoanalysis — and a few emotional shocks, mostly sentimental, transformed my practice. I started speaking from real life: my own, and that of others. I began exploring reality in all its softness, sadness, emptiness, and occasional joy. I search for depth, but I try not to drown it in darkness. It’s a kind of gentle, lingering melancholy — not a cold one. I subtly evoke my passions, memories, culture, and the influences that shape who I am.

Can you describe a pivotal moment in your journey as an artist?

Three months ago. An emotional shock shifted everything — for the better. My body and psyche both told me it was time. Time to act, to change, to accept reality and make something out of it.

What materials or processes are most important in your practice - and why?

I absolutely need music. It could be Tchaikovsky or Debussy, or just as easily a rap track. I need rhythm, energy. Sometimes I need silence. Ideas come to me suddenly, inspired by whatever’s moving — photos, films, images, conversations, thoughts. And then I act, step by step. Sometimes very slowly (laughs).

How do you want people to feel when they experience your work?

I want them to feel the depth. To understand that it’s not about sadness, but truth. Not something dark, but something soft — real. I hope they can see a kind of nobility in these emotions.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

It’s a mess!!! Lots of postponing, coffee, cigarettes, doubts, naps… Until courage shows up, often alongside pleasure — and then I become unstoppable. There’s a lot of calm within a great storm.

What dreams or hopes do you have for your artistic journey?

I still have a lot to explore — especially in terms of ideas. I’m 29 — and ideally, I imagine an end that comes late in life. One that gives me time to build, live, explore, explode, feel, vibrate. I don’t set any limits. I’ll keep taming my fears, embracing my sensitivity — and I hope to carry my art as far as it can go.

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Etienne Quesnay

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