Press Release
The public is invited to Mary Martin Gallery on August 4th for the opening reception of “The Provence of Jean Paul Courchia” which will be held from 5 pm to 8 pm at 143 East Bay Street, Charleston.
They are all around us, we see them daily, we can't live without them yet seldom give them a second thought—WINDOWS! Renowned French artist Jean Paul Courcia certainly does. So much so that Courchia dedicates his upcoming show, “The Provence of Jean Paul Courchia” to windows as well as the shadows that are particular to the south of France especially during summer.
“The window is the transition from the outside to the inside, or the other way around. For me, it’s always the connection between two worlds. Windows are also about the disordered reflections on the glass that let us glimpse the unseen side,” states Courchia.
According to Courchia, during the summer in Provence there are three components that he tries to capture in his paintings: the heat, the shadows and the freshness. All three contain some of the color blue. Blue is one of the colors most associated with Provence, and is dominant within Courchia's vibrant color palette, as seen in “La Fenêtre Entrouverte” (The half-open window) a 30” X 40” oil on canvas.
Although Courchia enjoys the quiet sceneries of Provence, french interiors and still life's, he equally enjoys traveling to capture the world with his signature oil painting style.
Courchia is proud to have his paintings displayed in Marseille in the famous gallery, Jouvène, which Van Gogh and Cezanne called home for their artwork.
Courchia's evocative paintings are part of international corporate and private collections. Collectors include Her Highness Queen Paola of Belgium, Mr. and Mrs. Shinomiya, Consul General of Japan in Marseille, and Mr. Aldon James, President of the National Arts Club of New York.
As a medical doctor and a world-renowned artist Courchia worked to study how people look at works of art. Using eye tracking technologies, Courchia has been able to analyze eye movement patterns of viewers in front of famous works of art. His work has been published in scientific journals and presented at keynote addresses in both France and the United States.
Today, Courchia dedicates all his time to painting and his family while spending time in Provence, Florida, and the Negev Desert.
Courchia is represented by Mary Martin, Mary Martin Galleries in Charleston, and will attend the opening reception to greet the public.
