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Performance - Teuthis
Since 2013 in Le Havre, marine creatures have been leaving the murky waters to gradually colonise the urban landscape… Beyond the element of surprise and the questions these strange animals may raise among passers-by, the aim is to breathe new life into naturalist drawing (rarely seen in museums, as it remains undervalued) and to play on the ambiguity between science and art. By displaying crustaceans, molluscs and often uncommon fish, they are given a chance to reveal their beauty to the wider public. The choice of walls is by no means arbitrary: colour, texture, format, exposure and location all add a new dimension to each illustration.
Dates and times
Thursday, October 8, 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Address
Marseille Wharf, Eure Basin
After studying oceanography and going on to specialise in marine biodiversity, the Le Havre-based illustrator and paste-up artist TEUTHIS ("squid" in Ancient Greek) has been combining scientific thinking and artistic practice since 2013.
Building on rigorous documentation work, he creates his ink illustrations in strict accordance with the conventions of naturalist drawing. This is followed by a graphic treatment in which the addition of lines unifies the composition, infusing it with dynamism and depth. His use of mineral colour palettes allows his works to blend seamlessly into the urban landscape.
Teuthis
Teuthis is a contemporary French artist from Le Havre, known for a graphic universe inspired by the marine world. Trained in marine biology and specialised in the study of the fauna of the Normano-Breton Gulf, he has created a singular body of work at the crossroads of art, science and environmental awareness. Since 2013, he has been developing an artistic practice that combines the rigour of naturalist drawing, contemporary graphic design and interventions in urban spaces.
His artist name, "Teuthis", means "squid" in Ancient Greek. This pseudonym reflects the importance of the underwater world in his work. Drawing on meticulous scientific documentation, he produces illustrations of great anatomical precision, inspired by the conventions of naturalist drawing. These representations are then enriched with a network of graphic lines that lends movement, depth and dynamism to his compositions.
Based in Le Havre, Teuthis first gained recognition through his monumental paste-ups depicting fish, turtles, seahorses, jellyfish and cephalopods, which can be seen in many locations around the city. His street art quickly won over a wide audience, making him one of the emblematic figures of Le Havre's contemporary art scene.
His influences blend the great naturalist illustrators such as Charles-Alexandre Lesueur and Ernst Haeckel, cabinets of curiosities, the scientific photography of Jean Painlevé, as well as urban artists like Roa and Blu. This diversity of references feeds a body of work in which scientific precision engages in dialogue with visual poetry and the imagination.
Over the years, Teuthis has exhibited in several institutions and galleries, notably at the MuMa, the Palais d'Iéna, the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris), the Galerie Hamon (Le Havre) and the Very Yes gallery (Réunion Island). His work has also been presented in public institutions, educational projects and exhibitions devoted to Le Havre's heritage. While remaining faithful to his aquatic universe, he now explores other themes, in particular architecture (Auguste Perret) and the identity of Le Havre.
Through his unusual journey from oceanographer to artist, Teuthis embodies an original approach in which art becomes a means of bringing scientific knowledge, local heritage and environmental awareness into dialogue. His works, at once precise and dreamlike, invite viewers to rediscover the richness of marine life and to look at the world around them with fresh eyes.
