“I started with found objects.”
Folon had always been intrigued and fascinated by objects. He was a compulsive collector, picking up items of any value in second hand shops and at flea markets. A visionary, he saw their formal possibilities and their potential to embody his imaginary world and transformed them to give them a new reality. For example, a lock became a character; an old shelving rack was transformed into a totem pole; an Art Deco frame naturally saw the addition of a watercolour with geometric motifs, etc.
Folon continued this concept in the late 1980s, when he began work on “Voyages”, a series of seascapes featuring boats. They were created by assembling and gluing pieces of wood, and sometimes even pieces of fabric and paper, and some were glazed with oil paint. As was often the case when he was exploring new techniques, Folon sought the help of a professional, in this case the carpenter Robert Leleu, who lived close to Folon’s house-cum-studio in Burcy.
Another iconic series is the one Folon created from paper bags. He tore them up to create ghostly figures, which he painted and then placed in a wooden frame.
