Phil Couture, under the spell of Japanese art

The captivating exoticism of Japanese culture, its elegance, mystery and sensuality all come together in the painting of Phil Couture.

The Canadian artist draws on his knowledge of other cultures to create his paintings. This time he invites us on a trip to Japan, revealing the visual and poetic potential of Japanese aesthetics.

His compositions gather traditional scenes of everyday life, insisting on the force held in the spontaneous moment. He looks in particular at the world of the geishas, catching in every brushstroke the allure and the myth surrounding this iconic figure of Japanese culture.

As for his style, he is interested in movement and in a quick stroke, which gives his canvases greater liveliness. In his artwork you can see the impressionist touch of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, the attention to detail of Waterhouse, the compositional clarity of Utamaro and Hiroshige, or the influence of Velázquez and Sargent in the way he paints a portrait.

He uses soft colours, fine and elegant lines, and in this way he captures the forms of his geishas or maikos (apprentices), full of simplicity and sensitivity. But above all, Phil Couture's creations stand out for bringing together in a perfect combination the serenity, emotion and beauty that belong to these figures. In short, the Canadian artist's painting reminds us how fascinating diversity is, and how much we need to see the world within a wider context.

Phil Couture has shown his work in solo and group exhibitions in America, as well as in Japan. Some of his pieces are also in private collections.

To find out more about Phil Couture and his artwork, click here.