Oh, Basquiat is indeed amazing. Besides him, who are your favourite artists?
Hadrien: There are many. My influencers change quite a bit depending on the ‘era’, a period in life. Basquiat was a real shock; I might not have become an artist if I hadn't discovered him. Today, I'm interested in the American artist Richard Prince for his appropriation of the world we live in. Other artists I admire include Miro, Picasso, and the classics like Matisse. They remain extraordinary. I also pay respect to Louis Soutter and Cuno Amiet, who are early 20th-century artists. And I really like Alexandre Calame, a famous Swiss landscape painter.
Can you tell me about your series of works “You May Find Yourself In A Beautiful House” – what is the overall idea and where does it come from?
Hadrien: I've always been fascinated by spray paint, tags, and graffiti. But while in art school, I pondered how I could use graffiti in a way that diverged from traditional styles. So, I opted for something completely different. The most contrasting counterpart to street art and graffiti is Renaissance and Italian history, and by extension, European history. The concept was to depict perspectives of churches or Renaissance palaces using spray paint. I found it intriguing to juxtapose two worlds that rarely intersect—ancient history and graffiti.