I am Marie Calté, a French nomadic artist who has been on the road for the past 7 years. I have been furrowing around Asia mainly, like China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vi-etnam, Laos and central Asia called the “Stans” countries. I hitchhike, take night trains, vans or buses and use boats as means of travel just like locals. I have been drawing since the age I could hold a pencil in my hand. Three years ago, my adult artistic journey started professionally when I travelled to Uzbekistan and crossed China, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, I entered a mosque which was an art gallery and the latter was entirely decorated by stunning mosaics, bright colors, unique shapes and original paintings. In the mosque a woman was painting and she invited me to join her and taught me her technique (Ebru Art). It was magical to be able to connect with another woman in this part of the world knowing that our cultural backgrounds are absolutely different. We connected thanks to Art and since that day I have dedicated my life to art. Travelling The Silk Road transformed my life forever.
Artist statement
I blend watercolours, acrylic or pencil gel to create a mystic calligraphy which looks like codes. I mix the boundless spirit in all into subtle symbols and mystical shapes. My calligraphy is an invitation to feel and connect with our soul. The flow shapes of each line em-ploy a regular and very precise approach, and in some ways meditative. My art expresses a paradox: one of a prudently designed accident, at the same time intentional and random. The drawn shapes and curves create an intangible and mesmerising realms. The forms are abstract which gives a complete freedom of interpretation and imagination. Some people see music notes, forgotten or old language, Arabic or Tibetan letters, and cosmic symbols.
I am drawn by surrealism, contemporary art and feminin art because it tickles my imagination. Most of my inspiration comes from my travels. They provide me with intense emotions and inspiration... Recently, I have been to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. I have been discovering different religions, like Buddhism, Islam, or Catholicism... I have been observing different kinds of alphabets, languages, colours, shapes, architectures and ways of making art. Em-bracing such a diverse and vivid environment has brought me closer to my senses. A big part of my creation is an exploration of stillness and observation of my surroundings.