Greta Wehbé
Born in 1959 in Beirut, Lebanon, her artistic journey began with studies in interior architecture at the University of Kaslik, before continuing in France at the Beaux-Arts of Aix-en-Provence, where she discovered and honed her love for painting under the tutelage of Vincent Bioulès, as well as engraving, which further enriched her painting. She graduated in 1984 and, after moving to the Paris region, joined the Beaux-Arts of Paris, where she studied lithography and painting techniques for two years.
Interview with Greta Wehbé (November 2023)
Let's start at the beginning. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and where you come from?
I was born on April 9, 1959, in Beirut to a French mother and a Lebanese father. I lived there until the age of six, and then in Zouk Mikaël, north of Beirut, until I was twenty. From a young age, I was fascinated by drawing. At school, I eagerly awaited the weekly art class. During recess, I sometimes went to our teacher Florencia's studio, where she revealed a world of scents and colors to me; I still remember her generosity, as she greatly encouraged me to pursue my art studies, as did my parents. During summer, I spent my holidays with my three brothers and three sisters in a small village in Mount Lebanon, where I sometimes got bored and painted sporadically, mostly using gouache, and occasionally oil paints. These were abstract paintings. At the time, I was influenced by our teacher, who adored Picasso, cubism, and color. I collected fossils, which were abundant in the area. I played with my siblings among the ruins of a Roman and Byzantine temple, open to the winds and now protected. I devoured comic books and admired the drawing, the colors, the scenography of the images, and later on, the black and white work of Hugo Pratt, with the use of negative and positive spaces in his compositions. I had access to artists' works only through French art magazines and books. At that time, I loved Braque, Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Picasso… I had just turned 16 when the war broke out on April 13, 1975. I left my country in September 1979.
Can you tell us about your journey as a visual artist and the path that led you here?
Before leaving for France, I studied interior architecture for a year at Saint Esprit University in Kaslik. I pursued studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Aix-en-Provence and obtained my DNSEP (National Diploma of Higher Artistic Expression) in June 1984 in painting and engraving. As a student of Vincent Bioulès, I was deeply influenced by his teaching on drawing, painting, and art history. Germaine Pratsevall, my engraving teacher, was pivotal in the development of my personal work. The transition from painting to engraving later enriched my painting. I also loved working with clay in the studio led by Jean Biagini, who frequently invited ceramic artists from all over the world. I had the opportunity to participate in a two-month exchange at the Farnham School of Art and Design in the UK, focusing on ceramics. This stay was very enriching for me and marked a significant stage in the evolution and questioning of my artistic work. The school's various workshops—painting, textiles, lithography—were open for me to explore, and I spent my free time in museums and art galleries in London. In July 1984, I left Aix-en-Provence for the Paris region, where I studied lithography and painting techniques at the École nationale des beaux-arts in Paris.
Among the many artistic techniques you explore, such as engraving, painting, and sculpture, can you tell us which one you feel the deepest connection with, and why?
Painting, for a sense of freedom. The love and direct contact with the materials and tools: the paper, the gouache, the brushes, etc. I also enjoy moving from one technique to another. My research in engraving, in particular, opens up a new vocabulary and perspective. A bridge is created between the different techniques, enriching my work.
What are your inspirations and influences as an artist?
Landscape, light, architecture, geology, and music. There are many artists I admire: Henri Matisse, Paul Klee, Per Kirkeby, Cy Twombly, Bonnard, Dufy, Turner, Etel Adnan, Bram Van Velde, Cézanne, and many much older ones. Persian and Turkish miniatures, Rembrandt, El Greco, Canaletto, Rubens, and so on. Sometimes, these influences emerge at a certain stage, a specific moment in my artistic questioning, and sometimes they simply evoke beauty and emotion in me.
Is there a particular artistic theme that is especially close to your heart, something akin to a "Proustian madeleine," that deeply influences your creative work?
The landscape, through drawing, for discovery. Painting to go further and enter an inner world. And engraving, by carving into my plates, to anchor myself in the landscape. I've moved a lot, and it's my way of connecting to the place I live in and becoming part of it.
Color, as well as black and white, seem to hold a significant place in your artistic work. Can you explain how these elements intersect and intertwine in your works, or share your reasoning for focusing on one of these dimensions in some of your creations?
Black and white capture the touches of light and shadow that catch my eye and make me abstract from the overwhelming array of greens in the landscape before me or the rapid movements of a river's current. This allows me to focus on the essence of the subject. In the "Games of Light" series, after drawing on-site, black gouache and linocut enable me to achieve intense blacks contrasting with whites. The interplay of negative and positive space in black and white also brings me a sense of joy. The layered touches of color, whether flat or transparent, enrich the surface and create the harmony I seek.
How do you determine the ideal moment to finish one of your works? What are the elements or signs that tell you it's time to give the final touch to your artistic creation?
This remains a mystery to me. There is no ideal moment. It's a process of looking and observing. For some works, the creative process flows naturally and reaches completion. For others, it involves much questioning, hesitation, and concentration. Some pieces started years ago remain unfinished to this day.
How would you define your style?
I would define my style through the theme that inspires me, which is landscape in its diversity. The need for the subject to move from figurative to abstract, to find my own internal pictorial language, regardless of the technique. Light, movement, and the present moment are central to my artistic approach.
Can you tell me about your encounter with the A Tempera gallery and why you chose it?
One day, I was walking up Rue de Dion in Montfort-l'Amaury and was drawn to two beautiful paintings in a window at the top of the street. These were works by Pierre Coquet, presented by the A Tempera gallery, which had just opened. I went in, and a connection was immediately made. Caroline, warm and welcoming, presented Pierre Coquet's work and her newly established gallery. I returned a little later and appreciated both the artists presented and the gallery's scenography, as well as how Caroline highlighted the works. A little over a year ago, Caroline and her interns visited my studio to discover my work. The idea of an exhibition was born then, leading to a show in December 2023.
Interview conducted by Flavie Vaslet.