Gilles Vuillard is a painter and a film maker. He was born in France and has worked in many places including Italy, Georgia, Iceland, Chile, the Azores, Easter Island, New York, Paris, Berlin... The way he depicts field studies in his paintings is like that of an anthropologist. Consequently, Gilles painted some houses in a portion of Zaliakalnis, and a certain amount of wooden synagogues. All his analog films, as many of his recent paintings, are connected to psychoanalysis and paleoanthropology.
Gilles has exhibited in Paris, Berlin, Vilnius, Kaunas... The Vilnius Gaon Museum and Kaunas' Choral Synagogue Museum hold some of Vuillard's paintings in their collections. From December 13, 2025 to January 28, 2026, the Ivanauskas Museum in Kaunas displays Gilles' most recent paintings. Lithuania's wood architecture cycle, which began twenty years ago, has reached a colorful expressionist moment.
About this artwork+
The painting bursts with an array of vivid colors and a multitude of fantastical creatures that seem to emerge from a vibrant, dream-like landscape. Dominating the scene are bold, dynamic forms and figures that intertwine and overlap in an almost chaotic manner. Various mythical beings, possibly inspired by primitive art or ancient iconography, are depicted with exaggerated features and abstract shapes. These creatures vary in size and complexity, some bearing multiple eyes, others adorned with patterns or skeletal forms. The background and the creatures are painted in a spectrum of deep reds, oranges, pinks, and purples, with contrasting touches of black, white, and yellow that highlight and outline the figures. The use of color is both harmonious and jarring, creating a sense of movement and energy that seems to pulse across the canvas. Each figure and element, while distinct, is part of a larger, interconnected tapestry that suggests a narrative or symbolic representation, left to interpretation. The overall effect is both mesmerizing and intense, inviting the viewer to explore the depths of the imagery and to perhaps reflect on the primal, raw expressions of human creativity and emotion depicted in the work.
