Antoine Heckly
Artist
In a class of his own: that is perhaps the way to best describe Antoine Heckly, a self-taught painter and resident in Saint Barth for over 20 years. “What creates my style, is what I don't have,” Antoine likes to say, as he cites various influences such as hyperrealism, Dadaism, and surrealism. Yet for a long time, his success came from a more classical way of using his brushes. His brightly colored oils, which capture the landscapes and traditional habitats on the island, built his reputation with visitors as well as the local population—a reputation that led to a very special commission last year when the French president visited Saint Barth. A painting presented directly to François Hollande, with the figure of an old-time resident of Saint Barth in her cotton dress and white bonnet—the traditional island clothing no longer worn— in front of her little windward cottage. And even if he keeps the natural beauty and colors of the island in the background of his canvases, Heckly's creations are always inspired by the present. He has returned to his essence, liberated of all styles and constraints, light and free like his effects of water and bubbles superimposed on languorous bodies of nude women lying on the sand. He also created series of collages with intertwined images of typical St Barth houses, cigar bands from Cuba, which he loves, and thumbtacks, for a “subliminal mix.” A good way to describe his painting style, in which he happily expresses the eclecticism of his artistic talent.