SYLVAIN PIRES

Born in Nancy, France, in 1968, Sylvain Pires developed a passion for drawing at a very young age. Always with a pencil in hand, he quickly demonstrated a natural talent for graphic art. At the age of ten, he discovered painting and began exploring the medium as a self-taught artist.

Deeply inspired by the world of comic books, which has remained a constant source of inspiration throughout his life, he continued to draw and create over the years, although his artistic practice was sometimes intermittent. Following a serious road accident in 2021, he made the decision to fully dedicate himself to his art.

A turning point in his artistic journey came when he discovered an old poster featuring a beautiful Art Nouveau-inspired illustration. Captivated by its graphic qualities yet struck by its lack of depth, he began imagining how he could bring the image to life. This idea led him to develop his own distinctive technique, based on the meticulous cutting and layering of paper.

Using a scalpel, he carefully cuts out each individual element of his compositions before assembling them in successive layers, leaving subtle spaces between each sheet of paper. This intricate process creates a remarkable sense of depth, light and perspective, transforming a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional artwork. His first creation alone required nearly 150 hours of work.

Since then, Sylvain Pires has been developing his own original drawings while continuously refining his technique. Each piece reflects an extraordinary level of precision, patience and craftsmanship. His larger works, which can measure up to 120 × 80 cm, may require as many as 240 hours to complete.

At the intersection of drawing, sculpture and paper art, his work invites viewers to look beyond the surface of an image and discover a new dimension through depth, light and the delicate interplay of layers.