10 Questions with Theo Lopez

Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE17 | Featured Artist

Theo Lopez began his artistic journey with a pivotal encounter in 2008 at the 9ème Concept artist collective, shaping his evolution. His travels to Russia, Israel, and the USA expanded his perspective. At 24, he held his first solo exhibition in 2013, followed by ten more in Paris, Geneva, and Hong Kong. Now 35, Theo shares his unique vision. Theo also enjoys collaboration, serving as the artist ambassador for CHROMATIC by PPG and working with brands like Agnès b. He is preparing for a solo exhibition in 2025 at the Larock Granoff Gallery, which celebrates its 100th anniversary. Over the year, Theo has worked with Larock Granoff Gallery (Paris, France), Katia Granoff Gallery (Honfleur, France), David Bloch Gallery (Marrakech, Morocco), Pretty Portal Gallery (Dusseldorf, Germany), and TwentyCinco Gallery (Hong Kong, HK). 

www.theolopez.com | @theo_lopez_artist

ARTIST STATEMENT

Theo Lopez draws inspiration from movements like Musicalism, Russian Constructivism, and the Blaue Reiter, cultivating a poetic relationship with material, line, and color. His creative process harmonizes reflection and spontaneity, awakening hidden melodies within his work. For Lopez, invention means transforming techniques and creating new concepts through the abandonment of figuration, establishing a practice driven by instinct and a unique relationship with pictorial materials.

His exploration of organic forms leads to a balance of flat areas and grid patterns, reminiscent of Cubism, while maintaining a dynamic interplay between foreground and background. Lopez employs full-body gestures to infuse energy into his non-figurative art, echoing the dynamism of historical avant-gardes. Experiences in nature, particularly during a transformative trip to the Russian Taiga, inspire his canvases, which twist into perspective and evoke a cosmos of light and color. His works radiate energy, transforming elemental forces into alchemical combinations that vibrate like music, offering an expression of a dreamed life that engages both vision and memory.

AL-TIBA9 ART MAGAZINE ISSUE17

INTERVIEW

What initially sparked your interest in art, and how did you decide you wanted to be a painter?

As far back as I can remember, I've always been drawn to images, color, drawing, and stories. When I was a kid, I could spend hours watching cartoons without a single complaint. It wasn't long before I started drawing comics or my favorite heroes, and again, I could lose myself for hours in my room, drawing while listening to music. Music has always been a pillar in my creative process. Drawing, music, reading—they've always been interconnected for me. My first encounter with the world of art was when I visited the Musée du Luxembourg (Paris) at the age of 13 with my cousin to see the "Profane" exhibition by Veronese. My cousin, who was older and already an art enthusiast, passed on his curiosity and passion for art history, which was also deeply intertwined with his musical tastes.
It wasn't until 2007, when I was 18 and met the collective "Le 9ème Concept," that I fully embraced the idea of becoming an artist. That's when I realized that with dedication and hard work, I could live off my passion while continuously evolving my style and artistic vision. That's when I took the leap.

You mentioned a pivotal experience in 2008 with the 9ème Concept Artist Collective. How did this shape your early development?

It was a revelation. I discovered established artists putting on exhibitions that we could visit while they were still being set up, painting massive walls, either alone or in collaboration, working with major brands while maintaining their artistic identity, and explaining their creative process to the public. I could see myself in their shoes—painting, expressing what I had deep inside, waiting to come out! I was very young at the time and still needed to shape my style, which was still quite subtle. But one thing no one could take away from me was my drive and curiosity—that's what captivated them. Once I joined the collective, I was able to work relentlessly, benefiting from the perspectives and advice of a dozen different artists on my work. It made me progress at an incredible pace!
My first projects with the collective involved working live. I created temporary tattoos at events for a brand, drawing on the skin of attendees and improvising entirely in front of an audience. That experience was like a school for me—it reallyhelped sharpen my line. And to top it off, I was getting paid to do what I loved. Everything aligned perfectly to help me become the artist I had always dreamed of being.

How have your travels to Russia, Israel, and the USA influenced your approach to art and creativity?

Travel is the best way to step out of one's comfort zone to open the mind and all the senses to the discovery of new horizons—new colors, new flavors, smells, sounds, and the chance to meet new people. The mind needs to feed on these elements. Removed from its usual context, it becomes more sensitive and attuned to details it might otherwise miss. My painting is nourished by everything I experience, everything that comes into contact with my mind. So, for me, travel is a way to recharge my batteries and stimulate my inspiration.
For example, my last trip to Russia in 2018 was a turning point. I had been practicing a combat sport for several years, one with roots in the Ural Mountains. I went there with my training colleagues for an immersive trip into the Taiga (the vast Russian forest) to train with the founders and their students and to take part in a survival course. The purpose of the trip wasn't artistic, but we were there in summer, in a region where it almost never gets dark. We were treated to breathtaking, endless sunsets that bathed the trees and rivers in incredible hues.
Before the trip, I had been preparing for my upcoming solo exhibition in September/October 2018. But this experience completely altered much of my production. All the visual, auditory, and cultural stimuli I encountered in the Urals deeplyinfluenced my work and gave it a fresh direction.

Your early works were inspired by tribal themes but have since evolved into abstraction. What inspired this shift, and how does it reflect in your style?

A desire for sincerity and a synthesis of everything that could inspire me led me to abstraction. What truly fascinated me in tribal art, beyond the work of the line and the variety of styles, was its connection to a certain spirituality. Many modern artists, like Picasso, Matisse, Miró, and others, had a deep and unapologetic love for tribal art because it carries with it a spirituality that could almost be likened to life itself.
It's this life that I seek in my abstract painting. That moment when the combination of shapes, colors, lines, and materials come together to take on a life of their own, transforming the artwork into an entity independent from myself.

You often embrace spontaneity and randomness in your work. Could you describe how this process unfolds in a typical painting session?

For me, it's crucial not to over-control my creation, to allow myself to be surprised rather than follow a predetermined path with precise steps and a fixed outcome. In my pursuit of sincerity, I quickly allowed chance and accident to become integral parts of my creative process. The reason for this is simple: when I started painting with too clear an idea of the final result, I quickly found myself blocked by new ideas that would emerge as I worked. Essentially, I was forced to choose between sticking to my original concept and ignoring the new ideas coming to me or changing course and letting the unexpected guide me. The choice was easy!
Usually, I begin by stretching a large canvas on the wall, then I select two or three colors to start with, dipping my rollers or brushes into these colors and applying them to the canvas in a very spontaneous way. At this stage, what matters is not the overall result but the energy that begins to build up. I play with the paint's wetness to dilute it more or less. I erase it, and I layer it. I play. The painting itself begins to suggest ideas to me, to guide me, and I let it dry once I feel a dialogue starting to form between the elements of the composition.
Once dry, I apply masking tape to highlight the dynamic I feel and then repeat the process with other colors or techniques to cover the first layer. When I remove the tape, the two stages mix and collaborate. That's how my creations begin.

In your artist statement, you compare your approach to that of a sculptor. How do you bring this mindset to painting, a two-dimensional medium?

I love the idea of approaching painting like a sculptor. The process of working with a fluid, undefined pictorial material that builds step by step often gives me the feeling of having clay in my hands, shaping it to bring out its life. Placing one element after another to find balance is also a sculptor's concept. It's the love of the material itself.
In the end, despite the two-dimensional nature of the canvas or paper, my painting reveals itself in three dimensions.

Movements like Musicalism, Blaue Reiter, and Russian Constructivism influence your compositions' energy and rhythm. Could you elaborate on this?

The place of art history, and especially modern art, in my inspiration, is incredibly important. It's mainly because I'm in awe when I stand before a painting by Wassily Kandinsky or Franz Marc. It makes me question the connection between different eras. How can a painting from the early 20th century feel so contemporary? What could have inspired such bold and current compositions over 100 years ago? It's fascinating, and it helps me understand where I come from. Kandinsky said that a good artist must keep their feet firmly planted on the ground while keeping an open mind toward the sky. These are values I've also encountered in martial arts, and they continue to guide me today.
The Blaue Reiter movement, in particular, explored notions of spirituality and elevation that resonate deeply with me. How does art nourish humanity and make it better? What is the role of the artist in society? The importance of being a visionary, a precursor. My compositions are abstract, and the freedom and spontaneity in my work must be grounded in solid, concrete values so that the result is rich and profound. The avant-garde movements help shape my reasoning and provide a philosophical framework that deepens the meaning of my work.

Your work blends organic forms with geometric structures, creating a unique balance. What themes or ideas are you exploring through this interplay?

I compose through contrast. For me, the relationship of duality and contrast is everywhere. Every idea or concept has its opposite, and it's this tension that maintains balance. One of my key references is the book *"Empty and Full"* by François Cheng, in which he explores the role and significance of the relationship between emptiness and fullness in Asian aesthetics, but also, ultimately, in its philosophy. Emptiness is the breath of life that flows through us all, animating us; fullness is the body or the material that allows emptiness to give life. Without emptiness, we would be nothing but inanimate matter, and without fullness, we would have no body or substance to animate. 
This is the foundation of Taoism, which I find to be a beautiful interpretation of life, as it connects all of us to each other.So, when I paint an element, I seek its opposite: curved line/straight line, warm color/cold color, solid form/faded form, opaque/transparent, etc. The relationship between organic shapes and geometric structures evokes for me the body and the mind, the physical world and the world of ideas.

You're preparing for a solo exhibition in 2025 at the Larock Granoff Gallery. What can audiences expect from this new body of work?

It is an honor for me to join the Larock Granoff Gallery in Paris and to prepare my upcoming solo show at one of the oldest family-run galleries in the city. This year, the gallery celebrates its 100th anniversary and continues to be supported by the family of its founder, Katia Granoff, who was, among other things, the first to exhibit Monet's *Nymphéas* and to represent Marc Chagall. For this exhibition, my work is taking a more raw and minimalist direction. I am incorporating more erasure into my current process, which brings in evanescent forms and looser, more fluid materials. New tools and techniques are coming into play, such as sponges and brooms. As I mentioned earlier, I try not to over-control or overly direct my thinking, allowing myself to be surprised by the process. But these are the directions my research is currently taking.

Lastly, are there new techniques or concepts you're interested in exploring, and how do you envision your work evolving over time?

Of course, there are always new techniques or concepts that catch my attention. I'm currently working on some volumetric projects as well, stepping away from the canvas to explore form in three dimensions. I'm supported in this by the Twenty Cinco Gallery in Hong Kong. 
I'm always looking to learn through collaboration. For instance, I'm involved in a furniture design project with a Parisian cabinetmaker. I'm also an ambassador for the CHROMATIC color range by the American industrial paint group PPG, which has led me to explore in depth the impact color can have on both the body and the mind. In the near future, I would love to work on ephemeral installations. I have ideas that challenge the individual and the perception of self and the world, and I would be thrilled to develop them further. Right now, I'm searching for a space to host this project.
My work is in constant evolution; research should never stop. Whenever I become too confident in my approach, I question myself, because there's nothing worse than certainty. Over time, I believe the foundations of my work will remain the same, but they will become more refined while the tools and techniques will evolve to embrace more varied forms of expression.