2019/12/11 features Georgia PendleburyIllustrationsMatthias GarciaNovembre 15

Matthias Garcia in conversation with Novembre

ARTWORK Matthias Garcia
FASHION Georgia Pendlebury
ART DIRECTION Florence Tétier

We spoke with Matthias Garcia, the Paris based artist who painted Novembre's favourite looks of the season for our current issue, available from KDPresse.com. Read now about his obessions with The Little Mermaid, French metal core & TV show Charmed.

Interview Florence Tétier

From the Novembre Magazine x Matthias Garcia collaboration: LEFT; Dress Prada, RIGHT; Shirt, tank top, turtleneck & skirt Versace

How old are you?

I was born in 1994, so I’m 25.

What is your background?

I'm half French and Spanish, I’m a student at Les Beaux-Arts de Paris and I’m also doing a formation of art therapy. But in reality, behind my background, it’s just a big-black night full of butterflies.

Can you take a selfie for Novembre?

Can you show us the place where you work?

From the Novembre Magazine x Matthias Garcia collaboration:Skirt Dries Van Noten, Top Asai

Tell me about your obsession with The Little Mermaid. When did it start? (I remember I went to see the Disney version in theatres when it came out in ‘89, you probably weren’t born yet.)

The ‘89 Little Mermaid was the first one I watched! My parents took me to see a psychiatrist because they were afraid I wanted to be a mermaid. Like if "mermaid" secretly means "a girl". It’s so stupid because wanting to be a mermaid is not the same thing as wanting to be a girl. If they knew the real meaning behind the tale of Hans Christian Andersen, it a very similar story to The Little Mermaid. And, they would know that wanting to be a mermaid means a lot of things… Mermaids can live around 300 years and dissolve as a seafoam in the ocean. As a human being like me, it was about not wanting to live in the human world, not wanting the soul we have and not wanting to live anymore.

But, the way I see and perceive life has started to include mermaids everywhere, and in all kinds of forms – the Ulysse Sirens, the water-girls, and all water properties. (Siren in Greek came from the word "seirá" which means rope. Funny no? For someone who says he wants to be a siren and not live anymore.

My mermaid realm now is every part of what I am. I’m not sure why!)

What is your favourite part in the Disney version?

(From the start until 1:03 after that, I don’t care)
Also, a siren-geek fact: you can see at the start Ariel is in the shape of The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen (city of Andersen).

Do you dream a lot at night? Tell me the last dream you remember!

I don’t like dreams. I try to never remember them. I don’t like this game of writing down your dreams to have the feeling that your brain is special. I prefer to make my own life more special than an absurd dream. When I, unfortunately, do dream, I have the same five types of dreams, I always have since my childhood. When I wake up, I’m more tired than when I went to sleep.

How is your job as an art therapist related to your own practice?

I am really far from being an art therapist because I only just finished my first year – we mostly learnt about art and psy. In a way, it can be related to my practice because I paint to be able to say "I love life". But, it’s not art therapy. Art therapy is something happening in a particular place with a therapist and a patient asking for care and exploration. So, it’s totally different.

From the Novembre Magazine x Matthias Garcia collaboration: LEFT TO RIGHT; Jacket LRS, Top & trousers Area. LEFT IMAGE: Picture by Maxime Guyon

How did you end up doing this?

I came back from Kyoto, on an exchange program with Beaux-Arts, and when I came back to Paris I was bored with art students pretending that they’re crazy, so I decided to see what craziness can mean.

Does it feed your own art?

No, I started making art well before I started this formation (and will continue after). It fed my compassion for other humans.

How did you feel about making art especially for Novembre, with directions from us, using some actual clothing references from the season?

Super excited because I like to collaborate but individually. So when you asked me to draw whatever I want from some fashion pictures, it was a perfect way to collaborate for me. I love the idea of using elements from reality to play with and achieve what I want.

From the Novembre Magazine x Matthias Garcia collaboration: LEFT TO RIGHT; Knitted dress GCDS, Dress Christopher Kane, Slip dress Paco Rabanne

What is your relationship to fashion?

Fashion is something I like and I'm surrounded by so many amazing talents in my life, so I can't escape to the mermaid song of fashion. I would love to collaborate with fashion designers or something… I did it once with Neith Nyer, I made flowers for him.