In an era characterized by the relentless accumulation of material possessions and the unceasing march of ecological degradation, artist Olivier Millagou presents us with a striking reversal of the narrative. His latest exhibition, “Litmus,” at the renowned Gallery Sultana in Paris, which runs from April 15 to May 27, 2023, invites us to contemplate the clutter and chaos of modern life from a fresh perspective.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
Millagou’s art is a profound meditation on the impact of consumerism and environmental degradation on the individual. Rather than succumbing to the despair that often accompanies discussions of these issues, the artist boldly seizes upon found materials and transforms them into objects of beauty and contemplation. In doing so, he elevates the mundane and discarded into the realm of poetry.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
Upon entering “Litmus,” visitors are greeted by a world that seems to have sprung from the pages of an illustrated storybook. Birds, pets, flowers, butterflies, and flies populate dreamy landscapes, while the presence of humanity is reduced to mere fragments—a foot, a hand. This initial impression of innocence masks a deeper intention that imbues Millagou’s work with profound meaning.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
Olivier Millagou, a surfer by passion, brings the ethos of riding the waves into his artistic practice. He understands the value of working with what’s readily available and seizing the opportunities presented by circumstance. “Litmus” is a testament to this philosophy, constructed entirely from found or salvaged objects, even extending to the gallery’s walls, which are adorned with remnants of paint from previous exhibitions.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
In 2021, Millagou moved into a 1940s house that he embarked on renovating. Through his interactions with craftsmen and material suppliers, he unearthed products that had exceeded their expiration dates—items considered obsolete or unsellable due to changes in chemistry regulations. These materials, which had previously been off-limits to him due to their petrochemical and polluting nature, now became the raw materials of his artistic vision.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
Among the discoveries in the house were frames left behind by the previous occupants, which Millagou ingeniously transformed by molding them with expired silicone cartridges, preserving the frames while giving them new life. The artist selected his paints and colors from the remnants of acrylic tubes, applying them directly onto the silicone molds. This unconventional process resulted in unique painting techniques, enabled by the slippery surface of silicone. After completing the artwork, he employed expired expanding foam to fill the mold’s shape. The dried foam would then retain the paint like a monotype, creating a distinctive appearance. The mold was subsequently cleared, ready to be repurposed in an ongoing cycle of creation.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
Millagou’s “Peintures Périmées” (Expired Paintings) draw inspiration from Renaissance themes of still life and memento mori. Animals, flowers, and insects serve as symbols of the fragility and irreversible harm of the Anthropocene era. Like classic vanitas paintings, Millagou’s works carry profound and delicate undertones, reminding us of human mortality and the transitory nature of material existence.
The exhibition also features sculptures produced through a similar transformative process. Vases from the same house are molded with expired silicone and crafted using outdated chemical sealants. Bird sculptures are shaped using wax, originally intended to prevent slipping on a surfboard during Millagou’s morning surfing sessions. This wax, in a poetic twist, returns to its original function after the artistic process is complete, symbolizing a cyclical renewal.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
What Olivier Millagou accomplishes in “Litmus” is a form of art therapy, a healing process that intervenes at the moment of materials’ pollution, intercepting their inevitable path towards incineration. His work challenges conventional artistic standards while remaining deeply rooted in the broader historical traditions of art, offering a thoughtful response to the world’s challenges using the tools at his disposal and harnessing their inherent potential.
Olivier Millagou, “Litmus”, Gallery Sultana, exhibition view. Paris, 2023
“Litmus,” aptly named after the sunflower (litmus in French), elicits a surprising sense of joy through its unexpected use of materials, transformed into aesthetic marvels. Millagou’s art reproduces reality as an ever-shifting entity, reflecting its mutable nature and boundless freedom within the confines of creation. In this exhibition, waste is transformed into art with humility and reverence, inviting us to rethink our relationship with the discarded and discover the beauty within the overlooked. Olivier Millagou’s “Litmus” is a testament to the transformative power of art and a call to appreciate the extraordinary in the ordinary.
