Saloua’s art, filled with poetic warmth and vitality
It was exactly what I needed on that tired, listless, lethargic day.
Deep inside I was crying out for a paean of poetic warmth and vitality. Put simply, I wanted to feel that my life had a deeper meaning and sense the beating pulse of a life lived to the full.
At the time, the life that surrounded me was largely worn out, exhausted and humdrum. My soul wept at the endless drudgery of it all.
I had also grown tired of my work as an art critic. As I trudged around from one gallery and exhibition to the next, I was growing increasingly disappointed. I was longing to see a trace of curiosity, joy or vitality. Instead, I encountered pictures that had already lost any spark of life (if they had ever had one in the first place).
This might seem a long introduction, but it is necessary to describe what I felt when I encountered Saloua’s visual worlds filled with the pure joy of existence.
In truth, it had been years since I last stood in front of a work of art that so powerfully moved my innermost soul.
Yes, I would say that this art had a power and a soulfulness to it that carved a deep furrow straight into the most important part of me; the place inside me where my love and my lifeblood and the most essential aspects of me dwell.
So there I stood; happy and almost ecstatic at being granted an insight into an artist’s secret, holy source of energy.
Happy to be able to see works by an artist who digs deep inside themselves and manages to create works of art that are filled with exactly what every art lover is seeking but so rarely finds.
The name of the artist whose works managed to enchant me so completely is Saloua.
Most of all, I am transfixed by a picture in a huge format which shouts out loud and bubbles over with vitality.
I think that a painting like this can very well stand comparison with works by Jackson Pollock.
Mark me well; what Saloua is doing and displaying is absolutely not illustration attempting to imitate art; these works are pictures in which the brush dances wildly around the canvas, where freedom is total. Such paintings can only be created by someone who is not and has never allowed themselves to be disciplined by rules or enslaving conventions.
I also see other works by Saloua that are more reminiscent of – resemble – rocks or clenched fists, powerful blocks with an intrinsic energy.
But what I find attractive about these works is not their external power, but the “scribbles” that one can make out. In them I see a secret language, a message that I am keen to interpret although I rarely succeed in doing so.
In winding letters and symbols, Saloua writes her messages to me – the viewer – and those of us who receive these signs from the artist are astounded, delighted or read our own longing into the pictures.
Finally, I would interpret Saloua’s art as being like the rock carvings of the distant past.
Messages from Saloua to me and to all those who experience the joy of encountering her letters of love.
Thank you, Saloua!
Stig Åke Stålnacke
Art Critic – member AICA
(International Art Critic Association)
Saloua voyage à travers ses toiles, les couleurs et les formes nourrissent son imagination.
Passionnée par la souplesse de cette forme visuelle de communication, des surfaces texturées et colorées, des œuvres plus expressives les unes que les autres, ces pinceaux sont bercés par la musique qu’elle écoute et l’atmosphère qui l’entoure.
La musique guide son trait et son imaginaire lui dicte les couleurs.
Elle aime jouer avec les contrastes de mat et brillant ainsi que la transparence de ses couleurs.
Saloua travels through her paintings where colours and shapes feed her imagination.
She is impassioned by the suppleness of this visual form of communication, by the textured and coloured surfaces, by her works, some more expressive than others.
Her brushes dance with the music and in the athmosphere surrounding.
Music guides her movements and her imagination dictates the colours.
She enjoys playing with the contrast between matt and brilliant as well as with the transparency of colours.
Saloua reist door haar doeken waarin kleuren en vormen haar verbeelding voeden.
Ze is hartstochtig bezig met de soepelheid van deze visuele vorm van communicatie, de getextureerde en gekleurde oppervlakken, haar werken, het ene al expressieve dan het andere. Haar penselen worden gewiegd door de muziek waarnaar zij luistert en de atmosfeer die haar omringt.
De muziek is de gids van haar bewegingen en haar verbeelding dikteert haar de kleuren.
Zij houdt ervan te spelen met de contrasten tussen mat en blinkend evenals de transparantie van de kleuren.