While appreciating an artwork, I’d like to try to feel the emotions of the artist during the creation. This is the very reason why these paintings of Agnès are very powerful for me personally.
When I say that I’m touched by an artwork, the majority of the time, what I want to say is that I could have an emotional connection with the artist. Empathy is the key in this scenario. It enables the power of another soul to be conveyed by artworks.
If you ever lived in Paris for a while, it is not difficult to figure out the scenes of these paintings are just ordinary Parisian city squares and boulevards. One could even recognize where exactly those paintings are depicting. However, it is safe to say that the paintings are much more than just street views. All the buildings are dancing on their own and the tension and energy are everywhere. There is a huge contrast between the movements and energy and the traditional Parisian street view.
In life, we’re constantly in contact with the world around us. Many thinkers in the history shared with us the wisdom: the world is a fact. What we should do is to change ourselves to adapt to it. Otherwise we won’t survive. However, for many individuals, there’s always a voice in our heart, encouraging us to fight back, to express ourselves genuinely, to change the world and leave our legacy. Finally, the question is asked: why should we be the ones to make compromises and not the other way around?
The paintings of Agnès show clearly this emotional conflict and her own search for liberty. The view of Haussmann Paris has crossed centuries without changing. But what Agnès sees from her heart, is an emerging force that wants to break free from the tradition, the momentum and vibrate freely.
