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 Alexandre Poussin       Céline Josset        Alain Coudert          Antonio Malmo   

                      A Recomposed Figuration. The coloured figurative geometry which is expressed in the fabrics of Xavier Sterke deploys invisible tension fields which work an emotional architecture. The tangles of the forms, far from creating a state of confusion, generate a stimulative harmony. It is with a pleasure not dissimulated that the artist dilates volumes, deforms the prospects for their usual functions, and diverts the figurative elements with the advantage of his very personal vision of reality. It thus establishes an introspection of its subjects, seeking to penetrate at the same time graphic and significant revelations which they conceal. The thorough research of the report/ratio of the colors between them intensifies this investigation while bringing the force of their emotive potential to him. Its affections for Eastern art feed the richness of its qualities of informed colourist, without to influence his initial step. 

                      Xavier Sterke forwards his creative will to an atypical poetic esthetics while managing to plunge in the middle of the gasoline of the things. He undulates, curve, underlines, clarifies, softens flat tints and lights with his own way, without however déstructurer the coherence of his subjects. Its writing invents a readable and comprehensible abstraction which touches our directions and our heart at the same time. It reigns within works of Xavier Sterke a plenitude and a force of evocation which gathers our sometimes dispersed feelings, by creating a climate of complicity between him and us by the truth of his artistic step. 

                    The price “Universe of Arts”, which was decreed to him at the time of the Living room of the National Company of Beautiful Arts to the Carrousel of Louvre in 2005, underlines a confirmed talent. 

                                                           By Céline Josset

                                                           Magazine « Univers des Arts » Mai 2006

The curve and the arabesque

                                Xavier Sterke is never satisfied with what he can obtain easily.  He has the will to look beyond appearances, in the very heart of the matter, where are revealed the most secret mysteries of the feeling created by looking at his paintings.  He avoids the effect and  leaves a thin part to hazard.

                                Xavier Sterke works following several phases. First, the canvas put on the easel, he dreams.  Being led by the shape of the canvas, he outlines his idea through the drawing.  In the second place, it works out a long building work by plans. This phase aims  to oblige the spectator to get into  the canvas. Then comes  the third phase,  the colour.  The step of colourist of Xavier Sterke is clearly influenced by his attraction for the East and his passion of the Japanese culture of which he practises the floral art, Ikebana.

                                  Working on camaieux of Mediterranean colours mostly terracotte, ochre, brown,  yellow, red and which sometimes remind Byzantine mosaics , he is drawn beyond his subject, towards an imaginary full of sensuality, to light of the constraints of creation.

                                 Inspired by a happy cubism, the world of Xavier Sterke is  curve and  arabesque.  The curve reveals the sensuality of his painting. The arabesque conceals the subject,  translates the Eastern, the Oriental  inspiration of the painter. For example, explains the painter, through my works on the universe of the women, I try to transmit an intellectual sensuality concerning our mothers, partners and friends, a  poetic and valorizing sensuality synonymous with homage and respect. The aim is to fascinate the spectator with the colour, to invite him to the travel and to let him discover the subject by himself.

                            Today, says Xavier Sterke, it is necessary to get out of the pure material which leads painting to the collective suicide.  I am a funambulist who refuses both abstraction  and figuration.

  Years after years, Xavier Sterke affirms himself like a solid colorist.

Translation of an article written by Alain Coudert    in may 2004

Critical of Art  Paris -Art actulity magazine

Présentation of Antonio MALMO.

           I am very happy to be able to write some critical notes on the personality and the excellent quality of works of the French artist Xavier Sterke.  To look further into his painting can mean mysterious and attractive voyage in the meanders of his sensitivity, of his search of new models expressive, new and varied emerged for better expressing his ideas, his interesting proposals.  This is an extraordinary voyage because it is rich in memories, dreams, fables and dreams which touched us, even in our daily experiment.  Sterke Xavier ennoblit his painting in grace of his imagination, its pictorial qualities notable thickness.

A pallet, rich in marvellous and superb inversions to tell and colour "food life" in symbiosis with the feelings and the eternal values of beauty and creative power, expressive force, femininity, intension, stupor, aesthetic grace and human heat.  All that shows through, shines, glittered even in its delicate "dead natures" or "quiet natures" as preferred to appoint them the George Master Of CHIRICO. 

          We must agree that our artist has a enviable expressive freedom, unforeseeable, amazing and for this reason he succeeds in sublimating, through the colors, the singularity of his emotions, his reflexions and his dreams.

        I make a point of stressing that his painting is certainly a key of entry, access, through oneiric reality, very clear and obvious testimony of his personal experiments which offer and give necessary energy towards a visual creativity of emotional taste.

        We can add that the manners and the forms reveal desires, dreams and torments of the artist in the search for oneself almost response to the delphic invitation.  The colors highlight, discover his basic temperament and the characteristics, most intimate and secret of his personality, even that one which, indeed, determine its will and its way of making Art, Peinture.  I make a point of stressing that our painter has a perfect knowledge of excels chromatic.  The pallet is luminous, soft, sober, delicate and gives to us all very pleasant emotions. 

AD MELIORA !!!     With regard . Antonio Malmo.     Caivano le 11/4/2005

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