Biography

Vebenee, whose real name is Véronique Enée, is an artist born in 1972, whose artistic journey has been shaped through a constant quest for experimentation and personal expression. The pseudonym "Vebenee" is a contraction of his first name, his last name and his married name, symbolizing the fusion of the different facets of his identity.

 Graduated with a bachelor's degree in letters with an option in visual arts, Véronique pursued studies in art history before turning to fashion design and model making, which explains her attachment to the representation of women in her works. At the same time, she trained in drawing and composition at the École des Beaux-Arts, acquiring solid foundations which she deepened as an autodidact.

It was in 2010, while sharing a workshop with a painting restorer, that she discovered ancient techniques. Encaustics, which consists of mixing pigments with hot wax and Damar resin, becomes a central element of his practice. Fascinated by the potential of this age-old technique, Vebenee combines it with contemporary processes to create resolutely modern works. 

His compositions seem inhabited by abstract visions where the textures combined with the softness of the portraits create an intriguing visual tension. His varied artistic influences range from masters of chiaroscuro like Caravaggio to poster artists like Alfons Mucha 

Attached to slow and artisanal practices, Vebenee sees in art a form of transmission of ancient know-how, creating a timeless figurative art that transcends eras, where the fragile beauty of life inevitably rubs shoulders with the presence of death. Each work is carefully crafted: the supports, made of wood, are prepared with coatings based on skin glue and Meudon white before being covered with encaustic paint, oil paint or tempera . This slow and meticulous work reminds us of the importance of the gesture in a world where everything is moving faster and faster.

Influences

Le caravage, Toulouse Lautrec, les grapheurs, la gravure

Education

The artist at work