Elpé

Passionate about creation, painting and drawing in all its forms, Patrice Lentin, better known as Elpé, favors the portrayal of human forms in his personal creations. Portraits take centre stage in his production. At ease with traditional techniques and modern digital tools, Elpé creates portraits of all sizes. His inspirations? Elpé is passionate about portraiture. Very different artists like John Singer Sargent, Chuck Close, Mucha, Klimt, Rodin or Laguarigue are great sources of inspiration for him. His favorite subject is the portrait of the other. His creations invite us to think about our connection to others, intimacy and otherness. His travels also enable him, during long and often random walks, to collect expressions, moods, or poses which he feels are poetic, recording them in his sketchbooks or in photographs. From ordinary everyday life a surprising poetry can burst forth. From gigantic to intimate formats, from color to black and white, from drawing to mixed techniques, Elpé goes where his creative impulse leads. His world comprises realistic representations of existing or fictional men and women and is an ode to identity and social ties but also to dreams. His creations are used by brands and companies for their marketing communications or as designs for their products and locations. Elpé does not show his work much and prefers to work on orders for individuals and companies. The different activities he takes pleasure in juggling feed his inquisitive mind and his desire for challenges.