Born: 1959
Hometown: Geneva
Based in: Geneva
Sylvie Hamou is a self-taught contemporary painter and resides in Geneva, Switzerland. She creates unique abstract works inspired by her quest for harmony and balance and her sensitivity to color.
Cultural influences
Hamou was born and raised in New Zealand to French and Swiss parents and then lived in France as an adult before settling in Switzerland, 10 years ago. This cultural melting pot influences Hamou’s minimalist approach to geometric constructivism and abstraction; she finds inspiration in the repeated motifs and dot work techniques of Antipodean art.
Balance and contrast
Simple aesthetics and equilibrium are the backbone of her creativity. Hamou skilfully confronts and juxtaposes flowing elements with strong structures to present a dynamic dialogue between colors, lines and spheres. Primarily working with acrylic, she opts for a limited palette of hues and freely explores textures derived from natural fibers, gesso and sand as well as incorporating signature dot work. Hamou’s bold artworks spark the viewer’s imagination and encourage free interpretation.
International success
Hamou has exhibited widely in Switzerland, throughout Europe and much further afield (France, USA, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain etc). Her work was showcased in the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Japan and the Grand Palais in Paris. After successful international juried selections, Hamou presented works at The Other Art Fair in Brooklyn in 2017 and in London in 2018. Her work is found in private collections worldwide.
What inspires you?
Colour, shape and texture
Describe your creative process.
A search for harmony and peaceful emotions
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
vibrant, original, contemporary
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
the Bauhaus movement in general, Ferdand Leger and all geometric abstract artists. I follow no one in particular but focus on instinct. I love design in general. Rather than being inspired by a particular painter/artist my work is inspired subconsciously by where I grew up and the travels I have since undertaken.
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
I use acrylic paint only and thick gesso to create interesting textures.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Do what you enjoy doing.
Where do you go for inspiration?
Everywhere. A colour, a shape, a magazine picture.... I look at images/objects for interesting forms
1 Collection