Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from a need to raise awareness regarding key topics, of which I think the world should gain a better understanding. Henceforward, I work on a concept to best express these ideas to a wide audience and choose the most appropriate medium to do so: sculpture, photography or painting. In terms of artistic influences, I have been heavily influenced by Japanese art, whether ancient, nihonga, or recent, and more specifically the artists Tomoko Konoike, Rieko Morita and Takashi Murakami. In Japanese art, the empty space (to quote Peter Brooke) acts as a mirror of the onlooker’s subconscious, which has permeated my art through the presence of the white colour and of areas left vacant. My passion for the Italian Renaissance and Mannerism has also left its mark on my work, which can clearly be seen in the „Medici“ painting series.
What does your work aim to say?
The main thematics I work on are the gradual extinction of animal species, climate change, the influence of economy and geopolitics on humanity, as well as the subconscious omnipresence of our mortality, which impacts our actions and thus the aforementioned themes. I try to represent these concepts in a most poetic, aesthetic way so as to achieve a most subtle yet strong impact on the viewer. In my opinion, because of its unbelievable power of influence, art should serve great causes and strive to improve our world.
vethan sautour 
vethan sautour 
vethan sautour
How do you price your work?
Having studied the Management of the Art Market in my Master’s Degree at the EAC (Paris), Art History in my double Bachelor’s Degree paired with Law at La Sorbonne (Paris), and worked in numerous art galleries (London, Paris, Dubai, Vienna), I price my work as per the appropriate market value of conceptual art and as per my resume as an artist, thus matching the clients‘ actual return on investment.
What’s the one thing the world should know about you?
The one thing the world should know is that as well as being an artist focusing on animal and environmental protection, I am also a pacific activist having worked in the last three years for a variety of charities and beforehand for the United Nations.
The information and emotions I inject in my art are based on this other kind of work I perform as well as my most recent educational background in order for it to be as authentic as possible.
What are you working on now?
I am working on the next animals of my sculpture series and photographs, both of which touch upon animal extinction and bear Japanese influences. Concurrently, I am developing new works further exploring the Latin phrase memento mori as an omnipresent underlying trace left on life.
Vethan Sautour – www.vethan-sautour.com
