Jeremy Demester

Jeremy Demester is an artist whose work draws from a diverse range of cultures and traditions, reflecting his Romani ancestry. After being invited for a residency at the Zinsou Foundation in Ouidah, Benin in 2015, Demester discovered a new way of connecting with the world through the power of magic, rituals, and dance inspired by the country's nature and ancient rites. He now lives and works between Benin and the South of France. In his recent works, Demester's intuition plays a central role, driving his practice forward. He believes that painting is a body in which thought and unknown desires are embodied. Drawing from the rich folklore, oral history, mysticism, and mythology of Benin culture, the artist explores the imaginative forces that bind Vodun societies and travelling peoples in his vibrant paintings, esoteric sculptures, and intricate works on paper. Demester's work is frequently executed in vivid layers of paint, ranging from free-flowing and gestural to meticulously rendered, reflecting the dreamy, expressive landscapes of the spiritual world.