Some encounters never leave us.
Painting is how he keeps them close.
French-Moroccan, born in Marseille and based in London, Gabrielle Malak makes paintings shaped by people, travel and the persistence of memory.
Home is where the painting is.
Gabrielle’s studio is part of his home. The two are closely intertwined: painting belongs to the rhythm of his daily life, and the work is never far away.
There is a calmness to his manner and an intensity to that commitment. Painting is where his attention returns — where an encounter can be revisited, an expression considered again, a memory given another life.
He keeps his personal life private. He also visits exhibitions and supports artist friends, remaining connected to art through the pleasure of looking as well as making.
The person within the portrait.
The women in Gabrielle’s portraiture connect to people he has encountered through different walks of life. His interest lies in what makes a person stay in the memory: an expression, a presence, a moment of warmth or reserve.
Affection can rest in an ordinary detail. Hair loosely gathered. A natural expression. The familiarity of someone at ease.
Joy, composure, vulnerability and confidence take different forms from one canvas to another, with colour and setting extending the emotional life of each portrait.
