MUD at Fashion Week: Luc Bouchard’s Perception

Perception, a unique collection of paintings by New York City make-up icon Luc Bouchard, was presented for the public to enjoy at Space On White in lower Manhattan during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2011. Using mostly acrylic paints with a few hints of actual makeup, Bouchard created a visual world of depth and color that took viewers on an extraordinary journey of faces and perception. He made a beautifully executed transition from face to canvas by using his 26 years of expertise in looking at and painting faces. His work on canvas was colorful, dramatic and yet, familiar. The core of each piece was clearly within the eyes; eyes so deep, you found yourself staring into them, searching for the artist’s own perception.

Luc Bouchard has not only been an inspiration to me as a make-up artist during this past decade, but an icon. His flawless style and artistic control make his every stroke appear effortless. And the outcome? Mesmerizing. It has been an absolute privilege watching him work both backstage during Fashion Week as well as in private workshops and classes held here in New York. I had the opportunity to chat with Luc during his exhibit at Space on White and attempted to delve into his artistic influences and inspiration

“I try to get a sense of the underlying passions in people and enhance it; hope, dreams, sorrow, despair, sadness… revealed by the layering colors of their souls,” Bouchard says of his collection.

I enjoyed his work as much as I enjoyed watching the many faces that came to admire and pay tribute to this remarkably talented artist.