Graphartixry

In this final step of the brain study for “Retail Therapy,” the damaged brains of both figures are now complete. The last veins are drawn, revealing the fragile network that carries thought, emotion, pressure, and memory.

The brain is where the internal struggle lives : The constant pressure to prove one’s worth in a system that often denies it.

Over time, these invisible weights reshape the way people cope. What begins as stress or emotional fatigue can slowly turn into habits that promise temporary relief.

A purchase.
A symbol of success.
A moment that briefly quiets the noise inside.

But beneath the surface, the mind continues to carry the tension.

This final brain study is another step in building “Retail Therapy” — Chapter VIII of The War Within: Breaking Out of Perdition.

Swipe to see the finished brains and the final vein details.

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Dans cette dernière étape de l’étude du cerveau pour « Retail Therapy », les cerveaux endommagés des deux figures sont désormais terminés. Les dernières veines sont dessinées, révélant le réseau fragile qui transporte les pensées, les émotions, la pression et les souvenirs.

Le cerveau est l’endroit où vit le conflit intérieur.

Anxiété.
Dépression.
La pression constante de devoir prouver sa valeur dans un système qui la reconnaît rarement.

Avec le temps, ces poids invisibles transforment la manière dont les individus cherchent à faire face. Ce qui commence comme du stress ou une fatigue émotionnelle peut progressivement se transformer en habitudes promettant un soulagement temporaire.

Un achat.
Un symbole de réussite.
Un moment qui fait taire le bruit intérieur… pour un instant.

Mais sous la surface, l’esprit continue de porter cette tension.

Cette étude finale du cerveau est une nouvelle étape dans la construction de « Retail Therapy » — Chapitre VIII de The War Within: Breaking Out of Perdition.

Faites défiler pour découvrir les cerveaux terminés et les derniers détails des veines.

Current stage of the piece.

Male heart fully done and lungs finally done.

This is the first time seeing the artwork together like this.

Be honest… what’s the first thing your eyes go to? 👀

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Le cœur masculin et les poumons sont enfin finis.

C’est la première fois que l’on voit l’œuvre réunie comme ça.

Soyez honnêtes… quelle est la première chose que vos yeux remarquent ? 👀

In this part of “Retail Therapy,” the respiratory and cardiac systems begin to reveal the deeper cost of the struggle carried inside the body.

The lungs appear darkened, marked by heavy pigments — a visual metaphor for exhaustion, pressure, and the environments that slowly shape the way we breathe, live, and survive. The heart continues to carry the weight of image and validation, while the lungs struggle beneath it.

Because the body remembers what the image tries to hide.

Retail therapy often appears as a moment of escape — a purchase, a symbol of success, a temporary feeling of worth. But while the exterior becomes decorated with signs of luxury, the internal systems continue to absorb the stress, the pressure, and the unresolved wounds that consumerism cannot truly heal.

This drawing process exposes that contrast:
the performance on the outside,
and the quiet battle happening within the body.

Part of “Retail Therapy” — Chapter VIII of The War Within: Breaking Out of Perdition.

Swipe to see the construction of the respiratory and cardiac systems.

This is the heart study for the male figure in “Retail Therapy.”

Instead of arteries flowing freely, Cuban link chains pass through the wounds of the heart, wrapping around the very pathways meant to sustain it. What normally symbolizes success, wealth, and status is no longer worn on the surface — it has entered the body itself.

The symbol is intentional.

It reflects how, after marginalization and constant pressure to prove worth, consumerism can move from the outside into the center of the self. Luxury becomes more than decoration. It becomes a way to signal value, to seek validation, to momentarily silence the void created by exclusion.

But when the symbols of status begin to circulate where healing should happen, the line between expression and burden becomes fragile.

This drawing process shows the construction of that tension inside the body.

Part of “Retail Therapy” — Chapter VIII of The War Within: Breaking Out of Perdition.

Swipe to see the process.

Arrival Gallery x Paris — Day 3 & 4 ✨

Another two days, another beautiful wave of energy. Brothers, New faces, new conversations, and once again… immaculate vibes.

So many people came through to experience the works, ask questions, share their interpretations, and just be present with the art. Watching different perspectives unfold around the same pieces is always inspiring. it gives the exhibition a life of its own.

Grateful for everyone who stepped into the space and made these days feel warm, vibrant, and unforgettable. The journey continues. 🎨🇫🇷

Arrival Gallery x Paris — Day 2 🔥

Day 2 and the energy was unreal. So many friends pulled up to support that people were joking we sold out the gallery 😂❤️ The room was full, the vibes were high, and the love was felt from every corner.

I had the chance to dive deep into the art anatomy of my works — breaking down the layers, the structure, the intention behind every line and form. Sharing the process, the meaning, and the vision behind each piece made this experience even more special.

Grateful for every conversation, every hug, every moment. Paris, you showed up. 🇫🇷✨🎨

Special thanks to .e_eric

Arrival Gallery x Paris — Vernissage Night ✨

An unforgettable opening evening at Arrival Gallery x Paris, where creativity met connection. Artists gathered to see their works proudly exhibited, sharing the stories behind each piece, capturing moments, and celebrating months of dedication coming to life.

From insightful conversations to spontaneous photo sessions and meaningful networking, the vernissage was more than an exhibition. it was a vibrant meeting of minds and visions.

I showcased “Revelations”, “Planet of Truths” & “Hidden Artifacts” on screen.

It was a beautiful start to what promises to be an inspiring showcase in the heart of Paris. 🇫🇷🎨

We are in 2016…

The world felt loud. Heavy.
Many headlines carried the same tension of protests, anger and division.

And there I was in my second year in France.
A country I didn’t grow up in.
A culture I was still learning.
Watching. Listening. Absorbing.

That was the year I realized something about my art.

I don’t create just to decorate walls.
I create to tell the stories to explore perspectives no one hands to you.
To imagine what hasn’t been imagined out loud.

Art, for me, has always been about creating meaning not noise.

During a 4-week painting course at Les Arts Libres / Dalbe, time was limited. Four weeks. That’s it.
So I told myself:
If I only have time for one real idea… it has to matter.

That’s when the concept was born.

An artwork about racial constructs.
About how identity gets “colored.”
About how something neutral becomes divided.
I called it “Colors Curse.”

I only had time to sketch it.
The art studio kept the draft.
But I kept the vision.

Five years later, in 2021, I could still see it clearly.
I redrew it on my first digital tablet.
Even tried to animate it. It wasn’t perfect. But it was alive again.

And then, while building my larger narrative for “The War Within: breaking out perdition”, I realized something…

That unfinished idea wasn’t random.
It belonged to something bigger.

It became “The Ritual of Race.”

A piece about the ceremony of division.
The imposed identities.
The systemized coloring of humanity.

And in 2025–2026, I finally painted it the way it was meant to exist.

Almost a decade later.

Some ideas don’t leave you.
They wait for you to grow into them.

And here we are.

More than two weeks in.

This canvas has challenged me in ways I didn’t expect and I needed it. The parts I feared ended up flowing. The parts I thought would be simple asked for more patience, more thought, more humility.

That’s the beauty of the process: it keeps you honest.
It reveals where you grow, and where you still need to listen.

There’s still work ahead, layers yet to be built but the dialogue between the painting and me is alive.

The Ritual of Race still unfolding.

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Plus de deux semaines déjà.

Cette toile m’a mis à l’épreuve d’une manière inattendue et j’en avais besoin. Les parties que je redoutais ont finalement coulé naturellement. Celles que je pensais simples ont exigé plus de patience, plus de réflexion, plus d’humilité.

C’est toute la beauté du processus : il vous garde honnête.
Il révèle là où vous grandissez, et là où vous devez encore écouter.

Il reste du travail à faire, des couches à construire, mais le dialogue entre la peinture et moi est bien vivant.

The Ritual of Race toujours en devenir.