A Conversation with French Artist Stéphanie Macaigne

The year is 2018. It feels just like any other day. I’m aimlessly scrolling through the Instagram app —just like many of us find ourselves doing way too often. I find myself in a typical explore page wormhole, sifting through all the sports, music, food, and influencer posts that pop up. After a few minutes of not finding anything to “like” or “share,” I come across a painting that catches my eye immediately. The painting was a rendition of Travis Scott’s Astroworld album done in such a brilliant way. The technique, textures, and energy felt looking at the different paint strokes was unlike any artist I was paying attention to at the time. That’s when I knew I had to click on the artist’s profile and give them an immediate “follow.” This was the day I found out about Stéphanie Macaigne; a French artist who recently began posting her paintings of hip-hop and R&B albums that she loved listening to.

Fast forward to 2020. We’re now in the middle of a pandemic. The coronavirus, or COVID-19 to be exact, has turned everyone’s plans for the year upside down. Although the days in quarantine are beginning to blur and it’s unsure when things are going to start returning to “normal,” it’s important to look for the silver lining in things. One of those silver linings was being able to finally connect with Stéphanie, two years in the making. With the majority of the world stuck at home, it was the perfect time to shoot my shot for an interview. And with the power of social media and the assistance of Google Translate, I’m pleased to share a recent conversation I had with the talented Parisian painter.

Who are you, and what do you do for fun?

My name is Stéphanie Macaigne. I am a painter who lives in Paris, France. Previously, I had the opportunity to live in Germany and Turkey as well. What do I like to do in my spare time? Paint, of course, but also watch good movies and TV series, read books, and play video games!

When did you start painting? How did you come up with your style?

I started painting when I was very young, but I mostly started painting every day 3 or 4 years ago, and I intensified my painting when I lived in Istanbul. This city was very inspiring for me; it’s a perfect city for artists, full of history and people’s stories. The “chaos” and energy in the city gave me a lot of energy in my painting practice. It’s also where I made my first exhibitions, including an exhibition at the French Consulate in Istanbul. I mostly painted the city and the people that surrounded me, and I tried to convey the energy I found there in my paintings.

Why did you decide to paint album covers of popular American hip-hop and R&B artists?

I’m someone who lets me get inspired by my surroundings. When I returned to France, I lost my main subject — the people and the city of Istanbul. My daily life changed. I had to spend several hours on public transport to get to work, and I suddenly had less time to paint. During these trips, I listened to a lot of music. Linking the two was a way for me to do something about this new situation that was initially negative for me, and turn it into something positive. It was also a way to participate in some way in the musical projects that I loved and to support the artists who worked on these projects. I found the energy in rap music that I had lost in Istanbul. As for my style, I am mostly self-taught. I took drawing classes when I was little but I didn’t go to art school (I studied history of philosophy). I don’t know the rules of painting, and sometimes I think it’s easier not to know them: it allows me to be totally free and test things (which sometimes do not work!). The key to my work is feeling and spontaneity. What I try to do with the cover series is to convey in my language (painting) the energy and emotions I had listening to an album. I’m a big fan of Impressionist painters in general, but not only. My greatest references are Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon, Monet, Kokoschka, Dali, and Magritte. The album covers that can be seen on my Instagram are album covers that I liked to listen to, that accompanied me during these hours of the metro, and that kind of saved me from this daily life that did not enchant me so much.

I hope you are safe during COVID-19! How are you keeping busy during this time?

Thank you! I am good, but I often think of those who are not well or who are not lucky enough to have good conditions to be quarantined or those who must be in contact with the virus every day for their work in particular. As far as I’m concerned, I also have a professional activity besides painting, which I pursue from a distance, and I continue to paint. For me, it’s not necessarily a very good time for creativity. I think it’s different for everyone. Personally, I’m very worried about what is happening in the world, and on the other hand, staying locked up does not give me much energy to paint. I see on the networks that people are told to be creative, but I think everyone lives differently this period; it’s normal and you don’t have to feel bad if you can’t do everything you want to do. The important thing is to live at the pace you want and to occupy the time as you want. It’s very important, I think, to listen to yourself and be tolerant of yourself during this difficult period.

Do you currently sell your artwork? How can people support you during this time?

Yes, I sell my paintings. I sell originals and prints that I do in collaboration with a Parisian photo lab. You can find my work for sale on my website, but please be aware that I am currently not shipping during the quarantine. With the lab, we try to create prints that are as close as an original, with a feeling of 3D, and I am very happy with this collaboration!

What music are you listening to right now? Who are some of your favorite music artists?