Marie Chloe Duval: I want to learn about you with my eyes closed

Shifting Palates and Perspectives Invite Reflection

Duval's artistic evolution traces a fascinating arc from her "Overthink" series—where she employed predominantly neutral tones punctuated by single saturated colors—through her vibrant "Bouquet of People" abstractions, to this newest chapter featured in her solo exhibition "The Evidence of Us." This progression reveals an artist embracing and refining her relationship with color in increasingly sophisticated ways. Early hints of this transformation appeared in works like "It was behind and above" and "I stand behind us" from her February Art Gotham show, where weathered textures and muted tones began evoking themes of decay while luminous accents suggested resilience and hope.

The artist's shift toward more monochromatic palettes becomes particularly evident when comparing works across just a few months. "I made a flower" from her February exhibition presented a stark white bloom emerging from a red room, commanding attention through bold contrast. By May, the similarly titled "I made you a flower" featured the same compositional elements but employed a subtler approach—the bloom rendered in lighter red tones against its background, inviting viewers to explore the nuanced details of shifting architectural spaces rather than focusing solely on the dramatic focal point.

Architectural Impossibilities and Spatial Mysteries

Duval's exploration of impossible spaces and shifting perspectives draws compelling parallels to M.C. Escher's legendary investigations of paradoxical architecture. Like Escher, who masterfully manipulated perspective to create stairs that ascend and descend simultaneously or buildings that exist in multiple orientations at once, Duval constructs visual puzzles that challenge our perception of spatial reality. In "In the presence of us," her treatment of lines, walls, and shadows deliberately refuses to align logically, creating an Escher-like environment where what appears to be a bright opening to another room becomes suspect, leaving viewers uncertain about which spatial reality they inhabit.

This connection to Escher extends beyond mere visual similarity. Both artists use architectural impossibility as a metaphor for psychological states and the complexities of human experience. Where Escher often employed mathematical precision to create his paradoxes, Duval achieves similar disorientation through painterly texture and atmospheric color, suggesting we might be suspended within clouds or twilight rather than occupying solid architectural space. "The walls did not go through" maintains this spatial ambiguity while offering slightly more contrast through its horizon line, yet still challenges viewers to question the reliability of their perceptual experience.

Texture, Mystery, and the Evolving Language of Home

Duval's recent shift away from literal floral imagery toward textural exploration marks another significant evolution in her practice. Works like "the field of flowers was inside me" demonstrate how various surface treatments can evoke emotional responses while maintaining her signature sense of openness coupled with spatial uncertainty. The absence of clear vanishing points invites prolonged contemplation, reinforcing her ongoing investigation of urban relics, organic forms, and abstract patterns as metaphors for modern existence in our fast-paced, hyper-individualized world.

Perhaps most compelling is "A home within," which represents the exhibition's most successful synthesis of Duval's evolving concerns. Here, monochromatic textures interplay with abstract suggestions of flowers and sky, creating a sense of wonder and infinite possibility within domestic space. Rather than presenting home as a static refuge, Duval reimagines it as a realm of limitless potential—a place of openness and psychological depth that challenges conventional notions of stability and confinement. This piece captures the essence of her artistic evolution: maintaining her poetic sensibility while pushing toward increasingly sophisticated explorations of space, perception, and the complex emotional landscapes we navigate daily.

A Vision Worth Seeking

Duval's thesis exhibition "The Evidence of Us" represents a pivotal moment in the artist's development, showcasing her maturation from an already compelling voice into something approaching artistic mastery. Her ability to weave together Escher-like spatial paradoxes with deeply personal explorations of home, memory, and perception creates work that operates on multiple levels simultaneously—visually arresting while philosophically provocative.

The exhibition continues through May 28th at the New York Studio School in the West Village, offering viewers the opportunity to experience firsthand how Duval transforms familiar architectural elements into portals of psychological exploration. For those who have followed her work since those early "Overthink" pieces, this show provides compelling evidence of an artist hitting her stride. For newcomers, it serves as an ideal introduction to a talent whose unique voice promises to resonate far beyond these gallery walls. In a world increasingly defined by digital mediation and virtual spaces, Duval's painted investigations of physical and emotional architecture feel both timely and timeless—reminding us that the most profound journeys often begin by learning to see the familiar with fresh eyes.