Trained in the art of decorative painting in Ticino and Paris and self-taught in music, the artworks of Christian Rattaz are unique!
"I searched for inspiration in the depths of my being."
Introduction
Born in Lausanne in 1980, I spent my childhood in the countryside of the cantons of Vaud and Valais, my curiosity for the arts in general always burgeoning.
At the age of twenty, I went to Ticino, partly to trace my roots, partly to learn decorative techniques. This experience only increased my desire to learn, and I went to Paris to do the painter-decorator training of the Institut Supérieur de peinture décorative. I only had one objective in mind that of opening my eyes, in a concrete way, to the world of decorative arts. This was a true learning experience, as I lived through hard times, times of doubt but also of joy. At the end of this training, I received my diploma and a prize. I had grown.
In 2006, on leaving Tuscany, I had a revelation… I united my two passions, that is, music and painting, so that they would combine to make one art form. I had always considered these media to be on the same wavelength, in the way they affect us. Finally, through my work, thanks to my technique, I was able to find a way to express everything I was feeling deep down inside, without limits, everything that had matured in my head over the years could eventually come out. I searched for inspiration in the depths of my being.
In 2010, I joined SUISA (Swiss author-composer) and Florence rewarded me at the Palazzo Vecchio by being awarded the Premio XXVIII, painting section. I was also awarded several prizes in Florence in the following years. I had the opportunity to exhibit in several places in Florence between 2010 and 2015, including the Caffè Guibbe Rosse, a revolutionary place where illustrious predecessors passed through.
Encouraged and motivated by art critics, I went to New York in 2014. A gallery in Chelsea was interested in the themes I explored, the energy that comes out of my paintings and in my technique. They offered me a place to show my artwork. In 2014, I also got the opportunity to exhibit some paintings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Since then I have moved to the Riviera Vaudoise, taking inspiration from grandiose landscapes of this region.
Curious about nature, feeling at one with nature, I observe it a lot and after a while flashes come to me – ideas, sounds, all these elements inspire me or remind me of shapes so that in the end I can create harmony, like when I play guitar, my second passion.
Music is always present during the creation of my works, and it inspires me from the beginning to the end, like a score with loud movements and quieter ones. And sometimes it completes the painting by opening a door to the fourth dimension.
I like to play with varying depth, for example by mixing pigments with oil or beer.
Blue tones attract me because they are ubiquitous, essential to life, full of symbolism and of dreamlike qualities.
I also appreciate the positive energy found in gold and beaten metal.
Through my technique my paintings can return this energy because they express themselves differently from morning to evening, thanks to the light which enlivens them.
With this time-consuming process I want to give the viewer keys to open their eyes and pay attention to the world around us. I also include fragments of memory (represented by drops or varying shapes). The more I observe the universe the more I realize that everything is connected.
Perhaps these paintings can lead you to share the same questions, or the same answers; perhaps they can help you to escape into your innermost thoughts, giving free rein to your emotion.
I hope so.