written by: News Desk
A stray dog encountered on the way to the market, a bird disappearing into the sky, a news event that leaves a lasting impression—or simply a moment of boredom and introspection. Everyday life is filled with fleeting experiences that may seem insignificant, yet often leave a deeper mark on the mind. For French artist Flavien Martinel, these moments become starting points for observation, reflection and discovery.
It is this sense of curiosity and exploration that shapes ‘Realms of Curiosity’, Martinel’s solo exhibition now on view in Dhaka. Organised by the Alliance Française de Dhaka, the exhibition brings together 30 works by the French artist at Galerie Zoom, Alliance Française de Dhaka, from 26 September to 9 October 2026.
Observation lies at the heart of Martinel’s practice. Yet he does not simply reproduce what he sees. Instead, he transforms fleeting encounters through memory, emotion and imagination, allowing ordinary moments to evolve into expressive visual experiences.
Reality, in his work, is therefore never entirely fixed. A familiar scene can become a personal reflection; a passing emotion can open into a longer meditation. This continuous movement between the observed world and the artist’s inner landscape gives his work its distinctive character.
The works in the exhibition draw from a wide range of experiences surrounding the artist. Encounters with stray dogs on his way to the market, birds glimpsed in their seemingly unreachable freedom, news and events that challenge or shape his beliefs, as well as moments of boredom and introspection—all find their way into Martinel’s artistic universe.
For the artist, these experiences are not conclusions but points of departure. A seemingly insignificant encounter can trigger an unexpected response; an ordinary scene can become intertwined with memory; a fleeting moment can gradually enter the realm of imagination.
It is this process of transformation that becomes central to his work.
Another defining quality of Martinel’s practice is the dialogue between spontaneity and artistic construction. Working through varied techniques and energetic brushwork, he sometimes retains the character of an observed scene, while at other times breaks it apart and reimagines it within an expressive, dreamlike visual space.
His works therefore carry both the immediacy of instinct and the deliberation of artistic process. Lines, colours and compositions come together to create a dialogue between the world Martinel encounters and his personal response to it.
At the heart of ‘Realms of Curiosity’ is an invitation to look again.
The exhibition does not confine viewers to a single narrative. Instead, it encourages them to reconsider the familiar—to pause before scenes that are usually overlooked, to notice moments that might otherwise disappear from memory, and to recognise the possibilities hidden within ordinary experiences.
The 30 works presented here are therefore more than fragments of the artist’s personal world. Together, they form an artistic exploration of seeing, feeling and remaining curious.
When we pause and look at the familiar world differently, an unfamiliar one can emerge from within it. ‘Realms of Curiosity’ invites viewers into that space of discovery—where observation becomes imagination, and everyday encounters become the beginning of something new.
‘Realms of Curiosity’ is on view from 26 September to 9 October 2026, daily from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Galerie Zoom, Alliance Française de Dhaka. The exhibition is open to all.
