Prestige issue 290, June 2018
Attracted to art since his young age, the painter Jules Bakhos succeeded to develop his talent through his studies and personal unique projects. In a superposition of multiple pop culture medias, he creates a tiny world for each topic expressed. His original style and his exhibitions in Beirut and London are a testimony of his big talent, the one of an artist. Encounter of Prestige with Jules Bakhos.
How did you come to the world of painting, and why? I always expressed myself through the art field, even when I was a child. These are personal projects that took form during my years of studies, and then in the professional world.
Give us an overview of your career… I grew up in Beirut, where I studied at Lebanese Academy of Arts. I went on professional projects before obtaining my BA. I presented many exhibitions in Beirut, and one recently in London. Another one is in my projects.
Tell us about the Paperplanes exhibition that you presented in London…Paperplanes is a journey between the past and the present. An expression of the relics intertwined in our cultures and society.
«The story is what leads the work»
Your works are unique and original. Can you describe your artistic style… My works represent a superposition of multiple pop culture medias. I love to experiment with patchwork, painting and even the light interventions. I never guess how the final work would be, I proceed by trial and error to reach the final work.
How your creations are born? I create a little world for each topic expressed. The process begins with an idea, then a sketch, an exploration of material, until reaching a certain aspect that satisfies the desired spirit.
Where do you get your inspiration from?From the pop culture. Comics that we loved in our childhood, all what attracted me while growing in Beirut, a town mixing oriental and western cultures. Superpositions of memories, persons, the city as subjects.
«The process progress from an idea to a sketch, to an exploration of material, in order to obtain the aspect that satisfies the desired spirit».
Each work has its own story? Of course. The story is what leads the work.
How do you evaluate your path until now? I am always touched by the support of the public, and I adore my work. I am happy to have the chance to express myself and interact with people.
To whom did you dedicate your first painting? To my mother.
What is the dearest painting to your heart? The first painting dedicated to my mother. Interview Conducted by Mireille Bridi Bouabjian
