Armand AVRIL (Lyon - 1926), Vanités, 1998

This work, entitled ‘Vanités’ and dated 1998 by Armand Avril, revisits a classic theme in the history of art, that of the vanities, giving it a contemporary and personal expression.
The artist has drawn skulls in rows that evoke the arrangement of bones in catacombs. The repetition of the skulls, uniform but slightly distinct, can symbolise the universality of death and the individuality of each life.
Here, the skulls are stylised, with simple but expressive features. Their gaping black orbits and almost childlike forms are reminiscent of certain works by the American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat or of art brut.
The pictorial treatment here is defined by broad, visible brushstrokes, thick contours and simple lines. Far from confining himself to a purely macabre or contemplative aesthetic, the artist infuses his work with expressive energy and dynamic reflection, reminding us that death is never devoid of colour and meaning.