Beauty at the Edge of the Unreal

Who between Stéphane Pednault the man and Pednò the artist exerts more fascination? A closer look at his work will provide the answer.
Stéphane studied plastic arts at Cégep Lionel-Groulx, but he soon left to pursue a career as a hairstylist. Was he too young, undisciplined, unable to accept authority, or eager to enjoy life’s pleasures? It probably was a combination of all these factors and more. Fortunately, the artist came back to the fore a few years ago.
Pednò had modest beginnings, exhibiting his canvases at first in his own hair salon. Later on, he was allowed to show his work on the walls of a few bars and restaurants in Montreal, which caught the eye of collectors who, in turn, introduced this newfound talent to various galleries. Since 2009, after an initial exhibition at New York’s Agora Gallery, this artist has been featured in various cities, including Quebec City, Montreal, Chicoutimi, Dubai, Miami, and Messina, in Italy.
With his unconventional style and his refusal to follow “market” trends, Pednò creates pop art figures redefined according to his own standards. To achieve the majestic feeling emanating from his paintings, Pednò uses in his own way an old, lengthy process of layering coats of paint combined with epoxy to get the glossy finish that enhances these provocative faces.
Drawing on his experience in the beauty industry, Pednò conveys through these intense and majestic faces a range of emotions that exert a magnetic pull on viewers. His exalted figures defy the onlookers’ gaze and display an ecstatic beauty freed from the constraints of reality. Jet setters more beautiful than nature, drawn from the world of fashion or reflections in the hairstylist’s mirror, these figures are a response to our modern obsession with seduction and physical perfection.
Revealing a drama built upon a contrasting palette of light and shade, the artist seeks to seduce us with hauntingly beautiful faces that hold us spellbound. Although he says he has no message to deliver and he only aspires to convey human beauty, Pednò takes us on a journey to the far reaches of his imaginary universe.
Who between the man and the artist exerts more fascination?
Hard to tell, but if you take a closer look at his work and try to understand the artist, you may discover the man.

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