Analysis of Boo ! from Thomas Agrinier

Thomas’ paintings are optimistic, playful and they sometimes remind us of school kid jokes ; all inspired by the cinema, comics and music, they make us dream and smile. A world seen through a child’s eyes. Characters amputated or deformed by movement evolve on very elaborate backgrounds.

Boo ! (Bouh ! is the title in french) is typical of his 2011 production in which the painting becomes a freeze frame of a narration that can be freely interpreted.

Thomas Agrinier : Bouh !, oil, 2011, 190x170
(courtesy Thomas Agrinier)
clic=zoom

images search :

among the numerous images accumulated in the studio -freeze frames of film or documentary- "I look for those that are close to the theme of water and movement". All these images have affinities, and they lead to a playful scene located in an idealized nature.

cover of Strange Magazin, june 1981

Chris Ofili photo

waterfall model

abtract from film Down by Law

Life 1956

assembly :

the component selection is done, Chris Ofili’s fall into water must be completed by the presence of other actors to create a narrative : "so I invented the character that sticks his tongue out. The girl watching in the background will create the depth of field in the picture in contrast with the two main figures".

The elements of the scene are then set by a drawing which positions all of them in the space of the canvas, and confirms the dimensions : 190 x 170 cm

canvas studies :

the positioning study is completed by studies of the figures, which are drawings of the highest quality. On the last sketch, elements of style are added and then the girl in the background (clic=zoom on some pictures)

Thomas always makes an oil study to see how his pictorial language applies to the main character >>

creation of the picture :

from left to right :