Really pleased to have been working alongside Japanese clothing brand, Marginal Man 
on this capsule collection. Everything was made in Japan. The capsule collaboration
includes three sweatshirts and a canvas tote bag, all in a limited edition.

                                        in TOKYO

Please tell me a little bit about your background.
I was born in Martinique, an island from the West Indies, I move to Paris when I was 4 years old. When I was in primary school I had a blue notebook I used to carry with me everywhere in which I was drawing stories and a bunch of characters. In High school my interest for Art was steadily growing so I took the decision to pursue an Art degree in Uni. There, I met one of my closest friend and collaborator. We were working alongside as graphic designers and illustrators for skateboarding brand. We performed as mural artists and made a few exhibitions in Paris. I am heavily influenced by the DYI (do it yourself) culture, and, in between 2011/2012 I was travelling a lot plus, I was running a blog. I thought about making my own magazine. I designed and launched the first issue of le Journal de Bord : the Berlin issue, a few months later. Journal de Bord is an independent and experimental essay focusing on the voyage, discovery of places and meeting of creative people. Nowadays, I am solely focusing on Illustration and developing animation projects.

You started out wanting to be a cartoonist, what is your favorite comics?
Yes it is true!  One of the first Bande Dessinée (comics or mangas in French) my mother bought when I really young was “Tom-Tom et NaNa” - created by Bernadette Després, a French classic! With my first savings, during Highschool I collected Mangas, Shaman King (シャーマンキング) was my favorite. I was spending my days off, every minutes I could to develop my craft, extending my art influences, it was one truly one of the best period of my life. It is true, these days, I am buying less art books, however, I am always having a look at the work of Moebius, Katsuhiro Otomo, Kazuo Oga on a weekly basis.

One of your art influences is Ukiyo-e. What was your first encounter with it? Also, what part of it impressed you?
I found about Ukiyo-e movement when I had my first University assignment, I recall a specific Art piece that we briefly examine one time:The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, it blew my mind. I dedicated my first year studying the extraordinary body of work from Ukiyo-e masters. I was excited to create a new visual language. Everything about their work is inspiring, therefore, first and foremost their accuracy, the magnificent line work, lines matters. Secondly, it is a feeling, an impenetrable balance yet on the edge to collapse. Their work are dramatic and highly evocative, full of life. I also learned to make mistakes, that chaos is a necessity, that balance is key. Making Art became a meditation process.

What is the concept of “Organic matter”. What do you consider to be important or major aspects in your work?
Life itself. I didn’t realise how much introspective my work was until I realised something about myself, who I was and what I was able to express. You obviously have to make peace with yourself and then, probably understand what you are creating, but, for a long time I wasn’t really aware of it. I don't think much when I create a new piece, by that, I mean that I don’t have a specific creative process. The only thing coherent in my work throughout the years is the black and white use, sometimes red or even blue. Other than that, my illustrations deals about loneliness, survival, love, passion and exploration. The term Organic means Everything : humans, nature, stars… We are in constant movement, each seconds we are evolving, reaching a new point in our life. In this specific series, the characters are caught in a state of flux, it could be blood or other matter from or within the body…Who really knows? It’s an ode to exploration and discovery of what is our inner-self. I think what’s important is to be able to start a conversation about a piece you created, it is about feelings so it is important to express them.

Please tell me about your impressions of the MARGINAL MAN collaboration?

The name MARGINAL MAN spoke to me! I heard about the brand from a friend, I felt blessed because doing collaboration is always stimulating, to exchange ideas or concepts with creative people is necessary. MARGINAL MAN is making clothes that fits my style. I also think their great attention to details where everything is meticulously thought about, it’s a sign of high regards, plus, it is always a satisfaction to see one of your artwork coming alive in a different aesthetic, it is inspiring.

What activities do you plan to undertake in the future?

I was planning to move to Japan for a year but with the global situation concerning covid-19 I am not sure anymore, I am really looking forward to travel but, if I cannot visit Japan I’ll look for another place to go to! The next Journal de Bord issue 08, is almost done! On a daily basis I am always busy exploring, staying curious and sharing stories through Art, thanks for the discussion!