Poetic

SILVAIN'S PAINTED BIOGRAPHY OF CHILDHOOD INSPIRATION

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Inspired by the drawings created by autistic children and mentally disabled adults, whom he regularly visited and who reminded him of his own childhood, Silvain began his "poetic period" in the late 1980s. During this time, realistic drawing and painting gave way to a childlike manner of depicting his world. In a unique style, Silvain painted his life story, interweaving it with short texts that conveyed his feelings and thoughts — a painted biography.

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This period not only marked the beginning of a series of global exhibitions but also served as an "inspiration" for Ye Yongqing, who started copying Silvain’s works in 1994. The crane, cages, and hundreds of other distinctive elements from this period were adopted in the work of the Chinese plagiarist.

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