Does create emotion and invite the imagination

With their pared-down style and absolute attention to detail, DOES' works, in which the letters take center stage in an explosion of shapes, colors and textures, and in which a visual narrative emerges, captivate as much for their power as for the emotion they convey.

From graffiti to collage to sculpture, DOES, a multi-disciplinary artist, has never ceased to evolve his style, which is always perfectly recognizable, through patient, ongoing research. Faithful to the lettering, this controlled evolution reflects meticulous work, insatiable curiosity and a taste for calculated risk. Each of his works inspires the next in logical succession. Placed in the spotlight early on in his career as a professional footballer, DOES led a double life to clandestinely pursue his passion as a graffiti artist, a quest for balance that has never left him since. Constantly pushing back his limits, the artist - a talented draughtsman and outstanding colorist who has long understood that everything can stop in an instant - delivers dynamic, energetic works of remarkable depth, from which everyone can draw what they need.

You had your soccer career all mapped out, but where did your passion for graffiti come from? And why did you choose it as your means of expression?

My interest in graffiti developed in my early teens. I'd always been interested in letters and, when I went to the training ground, I was drawn to throw-ups and tags. As a professional footballer, I was living a life in the public eye, which wasn't natural for me. I needed to escape all the constraints and rules I had to follow as a professional sportsman. Graffiti gave me anonymity and a way of expressing myself without restrictions. So when I took to the streets, I felt free. I was also addicted to the adrenalin rush I got from doing something illegal. In a way, graffiti was also my salvation when I went through a difficult period due to a very bad knee injury. This injury eventually forced me to give up my soccer career. During this period, I needed an outlet to release tension and bring joy back into my life. I started drawing and sketching... It was the birth of my artistic career.

How did you find your style?

I believe the only way to find your style is to spend many hours experimenting. It took me nearly a decade of sketching, drawing and studying letters and shapes before I developed a particular style. And even today, I'm still searching, continuing to develop my style and technique. This slow but steady progression is outlined in the book First 20 years.

Your work still revolves around the letter, but with a great deal of evolution. What have been the main stages?

Letters remain the basis of my work. Each letter has an infinite number of elements on which I can build. In a way, these elements have a life of their own. The letters D O E and S have thus become my support and my identity. This makes it possible to recognize my work, even when I use different media. The year 2006 marks a turning point in my work. Looking back, it was then that I began to fully understand the letters, their composition, the links and balance between them.
composition, the links and balance between them. And in my opinion, a letter is perfect if it has a certain swing. Even if a letter is torn in two, its shape and flow must be correct.

Your research also focuses on colors. How do you choose them? What do they mean to you and what do they bring to your work?

The choice of colors comes naturally to me. Nature itself inspires me enormously. Last week, for example, I spent a week in a cabin deep in the woods. This stimulates my imagination. But I can also be inspired by a dish carefully crafted by a chef, by my children... Color adds "something" to a work, completes it. In particular, applying color gives strength to shapes. But the base has to be right; otherwise, it can be detrimental. I would say that color is linked to the observer's taste. Nevertheless, as an artist, it is possible to apply color in such a way as to make it "easy to process" for the viewer's eye. So I always apply different shades of a hue to create a harmonious transition between the different colors.

Similarly, your work incorporates volumes, 3D effects and collages. Is it to nourish your pictorial research that you multiply media and techniques...?

I've always been inspired by the effects of light and shadow to create a sense of depth in my work and make it more tangible. And most of the time, each work I create inspires the next, so that each piece is the obvious succession of the one before it. This is how I train and develop my skills. Slowly but surely, my work has evolved from murals and canvases to 3D art. My sculptures, for example, are a natural outgrowth of using cement to prepare the surface for my murals. Using pieces of old murals and molding them into a new form totally inspired me. Similarly, the collages are also a continuation of my technique in terms of level of detail, composition and the interplay of light and shadow.

Is this constant search for new supports and materials important to you?

I want to leave something tangible behind me, in this world, in this life. This is the driving force behind my constant research, a new way of expressing myself through art, but also a new way of conceiving art. In the end, the material or technique I use is of little importance to me: I visualize what I want to create and then strive to work that image. I seek to express myself without limits, to find a balance by exploring different art forms and using various media. In this way, by using many different materials and techniques, I get out of my comfort zone, I "challenge" myself... This is how I continue to learn.

Is there any interaction between your work in the studio and in situ?

Field work is an extension of my studio work. Whether working in the studio or on a mural, the level of detail must be the same. The finish must also be of a similar quality. In the studio, I can experiment more and allow myself to fail. But when I'm working in the field, the piece has to be perfect immediately. That's why I always prepare each fresco or live performance meticulously. At the same time, it's my travels and interaction with the public that inspire me and feed my studio work.

What do you hope to convey through your unique universe?

I want to leave something tangible in this world, as a kind of proof of my existence. I think this desire comes from my time as a footballer. As a professional player, you are only as good as your last match. In my work, I have the impression that each piece could be my last. So I put all my passion and energy into every piece I make... and they all have to be perfect. On the other hand, this state of mind sometimes holds me back because I can't rush anything, and time is sometimes limited to create certain works. My father used to say about soccer: "Quality always wins". And I stick to that!

What can or should we "read" in your work?

My work is a pure expression of the inspiration I have at any given moment. As such, my art doesn't really tell a "story". On the contrary, my aim is to convey strength and positivity through my use of shapes and colors. And it's the viewers who sometimes interpret these shapes and colors: they often see images in them. And that's a pleasure, because it means that the work evokes something for them... and speaks to them.

What are your plans for the future?

There are a few shows scheduled, although many are still uncertain due to the pandemic. Mostly, I'm working in my studio, perfecting my style further, especially the collages I started during the first lockdown. For example, I'm preparing an exhibition at the Hotel Molitor in Paris, which I hope will take place as soon as the pandemic restrictions allow. It has been very fruitful to step back from the usual daily hustle and bustle and let creativity flow freely. Although I hope the world will open up soon, the past year has taught me to create more "peace and balance". It's a lesson I'll take with me.

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