For anyone wary of the French stereotype, meet Stanislas Colodiet. With his charming accent and exceptional artistic ability, the Duke exchange student has disproved any notions of snail-eating snobbery.
In an exhibit titled The Trash Factory, Colodiet will showcase a collection of his artwork tonight at the Duke Coffeehouse. The event, co-sponsored by the Nasher Museum of Art and the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts, is also a sale, providing enticed visitors the opportunity to purchase any of the displayed pieces.
The exhibition will feature a variety of paintings—mostly portraits—that not only displays Colodiet’s raw talent, but also his impressive ability to utilize unconventional materials, such as trash, in composing his work. The featured portraits have been painted on pieces of cardboard and constructed from fragments of the East Campus Bridge that Colodiet “gathered, washed, modified and mounted” on to wood.
“I don’t have a car, so I can’t always get the supplies I need,” Colodiet said. “So I started using [materials like] cardboard.”
Those depicted in the paintings range from political and historical figures, such as Vladimir Putin and Mao Zedong, to American pop culture personalities like Andy Warhol and the Notorious B.I.G. Colodiet’s work bursts with bold colors, assorted textures and blended brush strokes.
Though Colodiet, 20, did not attend his first art class until he was 15, he has always been surrounded by the presence of art.
“Having grown up in Paris and having gone to museums since he was a child, he’s really lived and breathed art all of his life, “ said Anne Schroder, curator and coordinator for academic programs at the Nasher.
Colodiet interned with Schroder at the Nasher during the fall semester.
The aesthetic intensity transmitted through his artwork stems straight from the overwhelming passion he feels about his paintings.
“When I’m making art, I’m very involved in it,” Colodiet said. “Usually I go to the Smith Warehouse, and it’s always during the night.”
With such fervency, one would be surprised to discover that Colodiet is not pursuing any sort of art major. He hopes to become a curator and plans to obtain an undergraduate degree in political science from Sciences Po, the university he attends in Paris. Colodiet explained, however, that the French meaning of political science is more akin to the America idea of liberal arts.
That said, since his arrival in August, Colodiet has unquestionably graced Duke with his creative presence while taking advantage of nearly every artistic opportunity at his disposal. He has enrolled in courses on painting, the art market and museum management and participated in art shows and contests both at Duke and in Durham. In November 2009, Colodiet participated in the Durham Art Walk and Duke Arts Weekend exhibits, taking first place out of 200 entries at the latter.
Vice Provost for the Arts Scott Lindroth said Colodiet’s talent blew him away when he first encountered the student’s artwork during the Duke Arts Weekend show.
“The paintings were unframed and [on cardboard],” Lindroth said. “They were just stunning, interesting and compelling works.”
Currently, Colodiet’s work is on display at the What is Good Art? exhibit in the Friedl Building on East Campus. The exhibit is presented by the Kennan Institute for Ethics and will be showing until May 16.
In his own words, Colodiet wrote that he hopes tonight’s exhibit will be a “great conclusion of my year of artistic practice at Duke.” He emphasized the importance of publicizing one’s artwork, attracting a diverse audience and gaining valuable feedback. Coldiet also noted his efforts—connecting with teachers, pursuing sponsors and making friends who introduced him to other artists—to build his reputation as an artist at the University.
“I feel like [being at an American university] is kind of scary,” he said. “[But] if you’re convincing enough, you can do anything.”
Stanislas Colodiet is exhibiting tonight at the Duke Coffeehouse on East Campus tonight from 8 to 10 p.m. There will also be a buffet.
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