ARTISTIC LICENCE

Quebec City-based, French-Canadian artist Paul Béliveau told us about living luxuriously and how he lives his best life.

Living Luxe: What does living luxuriously mean to you?

Paul Béliveau: For me, living luxuriously is having the freedom to choose what I want to do in life, like being an artist and being able to live off it without any constraints. Not to have any obligations that have implications in my creations means living luxuriously. Also, having the time to take time is a luxury that is rather rare in a consumer society .

LL: Tell us about your work and how luxury and extravagance factor into it.

PB: Over the years, I have had many series of works with different themes that always questioned the notion of memory, homage and culture (it has often been said that I have a so-called cultivated painting), which are the attributes of post-modernism. The beauty of the series of book spines came as a surprise to me, seeking an audience that I had not suspected. For the book is a luxury object without us seeing it as such. It instructs us, cultivates us and it is especially a transmissible object. And it is a luxury that we have here in North America to transmit this knowledge to others without any censorship, which is not really the case in other countries. Here in Canada, we have the opportunity as artists to criticize, challenge or simply celebrate our society with extravagance.

LL: What plays a role in allowing you to live your best life?

Art is a determining factor that allows me to explain and question situations that we live. I feel involved in society and live my life to the fullest by feeling committed. Also, by acquiring works of art I surround myself with beauty .

LL: What objects do you surround yourself with to inspire and support your everyday growth and why?

Works of art have always inspired and supported me in my daily growth. They offer me the luxury of questioning myself daily. Over the years, my wife and I have acquired works of art from Canadian and international artists that bring us aesthetic joy every day.

LL: How important is it to you to refresh and revitalize either your work or yourself?

The basis of creation is to be in constant research, both on the subject and on the medium. It is therefore very important for me to continually refresh and revitalize my artistic approach. The number of series I have produced over the past 40 years demonstrates the importance I place on renewing myself.

LL: What would you tell others about living their most luxurious life and how they can strive to be their personal best?

I would say by being convinced and committed to our respective careers, we have the most chance to live the most luxurious life possible. Luxury here takes the form of freedom, which is essential for creators. So, we strive to be the best we can be.