artist/ Sebastien Layral

France

More than 30 years ago, Sébastien Layral, a native of Causse and Rodez, embarked on a Sisyphean task without imagining that it would eventually lead him to revisit Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus in one of his latest painting series. Could Layral’s artistic journey then be considered absurd? Yes, undoubtedly, if we place the question of the absurd, as it has been persistently addressed in the fields of art, philosophy, and literature throughout the 20th century. In other words, the question of the absurd resonates above all with fundamental issues related to the values of life and the meaning of human existence, the transformation of human society, and the world. Above all, to explore the absurd and reflect on it is to demonstrate a great critical sense. Confronting the absurd, as Layral does in his artistic approach, is thus a path towards meaning and critical lucidity, expressing true creativity understood as a vital expression. Not to mention that by grappling with and experiencing the absurd, humans transcend their condition and find their nobility. “One must imagine Sisyphus happy,” wrote Camus.

Like Sisyphus, who, in his imbalance, ultimately finds balance and happiness, Layral never stops, with creativity deeply ingrained in him, recreating himself and consequently recreating the world. Today, after more than a thousand paintings and numerous highly interactive performances—always with a focus on the Other—Layral has become a complete artist, constantly seeking balance in imbalance. A true work of transformative expression that goes beyond art and also enters the realm of philosophy. In resonance with Henri Bergson, the philosopher of creation, Layral has been, from the beginning, seeking a balance between self-concern and concern for others. This is why he creates self-portraits to better portray others. Moreover, in the spirit of Bergson’s philosophy, through his paintings and performances, Layral shows us how much his personality—and therefore ours—is a continuity of movement. And by essence, movement calls for change, a source of imbalance. In this sense, Layral teaches us that the act of creation can be a true path to seeking—and finding—balance in the perpetual imbalance of life.

But this question of balance is something Layral has also been exploring for many years in the field of martial arts, and more specifically, in Aikido. While many might have separated the two arts, Layral has inextricably linked them. In fact, he entered Aikido in the same way he entered the field of art, and ultimately, as one enters a religion. Religion understood here in its primary sense, meaning to listen, observe, receive, give, connect, and elevate oneself spiritually. In Aikido, encounters give birth to movement, and this movement is a co-creation. Thus, whether donning his hakama, the traditional attire of aikidokas, or painting or fully engaging in a performance, Layral forgets himself and listens to the Other and the world. To forget oneself in order to be as present as possible, fully committing to the encounter… Layral, the samurai artist, thus puts himself in the service of the Other. But without negating himself. On the contrary, he fully participates, in a quest for authenticity, in a sort of game where each person becomes the mirror of the Other… Through his artistic work, as in Aikido, Layral does not dictate or impose. He proposes and embodies his own path (the “Do” in “Aikido” means “the way”), that of seeking out all possible forms of otherness to better understand the world and, in his own way, open up new perspectives. An artistic endeavor focused on humanity rather than dogma, and undeniably a process guided by Love, the source of life and vital impulse. Ultimately, through his work, Sébastien Layral makes his own the beautiful expression of one of his guiding figures, the artist Robert Filliou: “Art is what makes life more interesting than art.”