A Favorite: French Painter Venice Voisin

Asakan: To start our interview, could you please introduce yourself?

The Artist: My name is Venice Voisin, a self-taught French painter.

I was born in Montpellier to a Franco-Italian mother and a French father. My legal name is Valérie Voisin.

I live and work in Germany near Frankfurt am Main.

Venice, my artist name, is inspired by Venice Beach in California, an iconic place of freedom and creativity where the boundaries between art and life blur. It’s a mindset with which I deeply identify. It’s also a nod to my Italian heritage.

At the same time, I work part-time as a French nanny, teaching French and art to the children in my care.

Asakan: How would you define art? How do you perceive contemporary art?

The Artist: For me, “art is the innocence of the soul.” It’s a direct way of saying that art is a pure, authentic, and uncalculated expression of what dwells within the inner self. Innocence here does not mean naivety; it’s a kind of raw language of the soul, like that of a child who creates without wondering if it’s good or marketable. It can also mean that in the act of creating, the soul rediscovers a form of primal freedom—it doesn’t pretend; it reveals itself.

Contemporary art fascinates me because it is both diverse and expansive, open to the world; it poses questions—which can be perplexing, intellectual, visionary, spiritual, socially engaged, novel, and fantastical—with wide-eyed wonder.

Asakan: When did you realize you were going to devote your life to art?

The Artist: Art has always drawn me in. Curious and passionate, I explored various forms of expression, including digital art in 2005 in Nice, where I was living. That experience was pivotal. It allowed me to refine my perspective, enrich my visual sensibility, and fuel my artistic practice.

It was only natural that I decided to devote myself to painting, in search of a more tangible and authentic approach. I created my first painting in 2015 in Königstein, Germany. I came from a digital world, but I had been feeling for some time that I needed to evolve, to lay my hands on a canvas. So I began painting without a method, without expectations, just to let the medium speak for itself. The result was abstract, almost random. It wasn’t quite me yet. I kept searching, experimenting, trying, and collaging… until figures began to emerge.

Asakan: As an artist, how would you describe your art? How did you come to develop your distinctive style?

The Artist: My art is figurative, instinctive, and deeply connected to life. It’s organic painting—sometimes socially engaged—that blends the real and the imaginary. I often slip in words in French, English, or German.

I use French, English, and German in my work because these are the three languages I navigate. They are part of my reality. For me, a word has more impact than an image. And sometimes, it’s the union of the two that creates a new power: a word that resonates, an image that vibrates, and together they convey what I couldn’t express otherwise.

My art is also very colorful. For me, color is a language—dynamic, expressive, and textured—that conveys emotion and harmony.

I achieved my artistic signature when I began painting large-scale works in acrylic in my studio. My first series, “Social Networks,” was thus created starting in 2018, and I completed it in 2023.

The quality of the materials is also essential to me. And each medium offers me a new adventure: It took me some time to adapt to my work on wood, “Les Migrants.” Similarly, my first oil painting, titled “Home Forest,” opened up a new dialogue with the medium. This journey unfolds as I work, over time, and as my artistic approach evolves.

Venice Voisin, “Les Migrants,” 2024. Acrylic on wood, 50 x 70 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Asakan: What are your artistic inspirations and influences? What themes and emotions do you seek to convey in your works?

The Artist: Through my art, I seek to express a deep connection with nature, life, and humanity—a universal vision of the world around us.

One day, I went to Frankfurt to see an exhibition by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and there, his instinctive freedom influenced me. After that moment of inspiration, I began my first series of large-format works.

I’m also inspired by Van Gogh for his emotional power, Gauguin, and the Impressionists for their vibrant perspective on nature—artists like Monet and Pissarro. I also feel a close connection to Berthe Morisot, Suzanne Valadon, Paula Modersohn-Becker, among others—women artists who had the courage to paint with sincerity and independence. Of course, talking about artistic influences doesn’t mean copying, but rather acknowledging the traces that guide us.

I love to paint as one writes a poem with cross-outs, as one plays music with colors, because sometimes the smallest details are very beautiful; to paint the hope, love, and beauty that I see here and there, to tell a story or a truth with complete humility.

Venice Voisin, A New Kingdom: A Door Open to the World. No. 1 “At Home,” Social Network Collection, 2018. Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 2 “Mass Killer,” Social Network Collection, 2018. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 3 “Mother Nature Race,” Social Network Collection, 2020. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 4 “Le Tableau Bleu,” Social Network Collection, 2020. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 5 “Amazonia,” Social Network Collection, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 6 “Le Bassin du Congo,” Social Network Collection, 2023. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Venice Voisin, No. 7 “Liberté,” Social Network Collection, 2023. Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 120 cm. Courtesy of the artist

Asakan: How is your work perceived by the public? And by the art community?

The Artist: The feedback I receive touches me deeply. People talk to me about vibrant colors, true beauty, movement, and an almost wild energy. Some sense a form of courage, freedom, raw sincerity—something alive that comes from the heart.

But it’s always difficult to know exactly what the art world thinks, especially since it’s vast, diverse, and sometimes silent or elitist. However, some people notice a distinct style, a unique energy, and a genuine commitment. That reminds me that my approach has its own identity and that I’m on the right track.

Asakan: What advice would you like to share with other young people eager to pursue a career in art?

The Artist: Work, experiment, practice—but if you hit a wall, take a break. No matter your background, skin color, or age… if you believe in it, go for it. Just doing it is already a start.

Don’t rely on anyone else. Believe in yourself; keep the faith. You don’t have to be a “cursed painter”—get a side job if you need to, or create with what’s around you.

Trust yourself: you’re not an imposter. And “don’t put the cart before the horse.” Be ready when you’re ready—then, go for it!

For more information on Venice VOISIN’s work, you can follow her on Instagram