Contemporary Engraver and Painter

Lives and works in Algrange, France

Michel Thein began his artistic journey in the 1980s with intaglio engraving works, particularly drypoint and occasionally burin engraving. Over time, his practice evolved toward canvas-based works, where he explored new plastic dimensions. Today, his research focuses on the series titled “Planography”, a concept where time transforms into space, expanding perception into new horizons.

“Planography” is defined by a space that is random, open, and afocal:

• Random: Chance becomes a creative engine, where nothing is predetermined.
• Open: The elimination of the subject liberates space from narrative constraints.
• Afocal: Optical focal points are pushed to infinity, offering an immersive and boundless experience.

These principles translate into a direct action on the perceptual field of the canvas, where the square becomes a central element, used as a monogram or a unit of visual measurement. Color, on the other hand, is approached as a “mass,” structuring space and enhancing the materiality of the works.

Michel Thein’s studio, located in a modest space in Algrange, reflects this dynamic. Each piece is born from a delicate balance between spatial constraints and gestural freedom. The canvases, often made from natural or colored linen, are adorned with hundreds of carefully arranged small squares. These shapes, both rhythmic and vibrant, evoke geoglyphs or mental maps, inviting the viewer to lose themselves in an infinite space.

The artist’s daily walks, accompanied by his dog Rumi, profoundly influence his creative process. These strolls become a form of moving meditation, where the rhythms of nature, footsteps, and heartbeat intertwine to inspire his canvases. This dialogue between time and space is reflected in his works through a layering of textures, where each square acts as an imprint, a vibration, or the echo of a thought.