Rêve d’Été.
Dream of Summer.
Portraits shaped by memories of travel and encounters with women across different cultures.
Summer as an emotional setting.
Rêve d’Été was Gabrielle Malak’s fifth collection, created between Cassis and his studio near Marseille. Freedom, warmth and human connection are revisited through longing and recollection.
The paintings travel between Tangier, China, London, Lagos, India, Brazil and the French Riviera — a more personal chapter after the bold stylisation of Series Four.
The exhibition opened on 1 August 2025 at London Art Exchange, 13 Soho Square, and ran through the month.
Inside the exhibition.
The portraits.
All works mixed media on canvas. Select a title to view it at London Art Exchange.
Amelia
A floral portrait associated with Budapest. A dark blue beret, the Danube and abundant flowers combine composure with independence.
Anahita V1
Named for the Persian goddess of water and renewal. Gold accents and a steady expression convey inward calm.
Blood Rose
A rose beside the face and a dark setting connect beauty with adversity — an image of resilience.
Daisy V1
Closed eyes, daisies and auburn hair set a reflective early-summer mood of gentleness and rest.
Daisy V2
The second variation meets us with a direct, assured gaze; freckles and bright light suggest growing confidence.
Emily
A woman looks through rain-marked glass — an intimate study of vulnerability and unspoken feeling.
Éternel Été V1
A laughing figure surrounded by flowers embodies freedom, delight and feminine strength.
Éternel Été V2
An intensified variation, associated with Marrakesh and spontaneous brushwork.
Eye Contact
A sustained gaze and ember-toned atmosphere convey self-possession and controlled intensity.
Fleur de Feu
Crimson hibiscus and warm gold frame an exploration of ancestry and emotional resilience.
Le Jardin
Moss and an overgrown setting connect the sitter with the earth: regeneration and belonging.
Love Letter
Peonies surround a figure with closed eyes — serenity, self-acceptance and an inward experience of love.
My London Girl Part 1
London buses, evening lights and a beret: a metropolitan summer portrait of confident independence.
My London Girl Part 2
A companion portrait in softer neon light, its subject more self-assured and changed by experience.
Nova
Cool blues and star-like imagery link calm and introspection with renewal.
The Empress
Ochre and burnished gold support a portrait of dignity, lineage and leadership.
The Royal Pride V1
The first of three related portraits — contemplative and stately.
The Royal Pride V2
The second variation: brightness, sunlight and outward confidence.
The Royal Pride V3
The third turns towards introspection and darker, night-associated colour.
Tournesol
The sunflower lends the portrait its warmth and its turn towards the light.
Trance
The final moment of summer: not the peak, but the return inward. Still hot with promise.