Manyoly

This interview focuses on the colourful character of a female artist from France going by the name Manyoly. A multi talented, fascinating, personality that finds inspiration in humans and creates some of the most vivid female portraits you could come across on the streets.

– ISSA – What you choose to drink? Coffee, Tea, Beer, Soda or something else?

(Manyoly) – Hi, a cup of jasmine tea please!

-Introduce yourself to us!
My name is Manyoly, I’m a French artist who loves expressing her ideas by painting women’s faces with powerful colours.

– Where does your tag name come from?
When I was younger, I mix the name of my first love with my name, and that word had appeared… at first it was my name on msn.. And then my artist name!

– How do you define yourself? Artist? Street artist? Anything else?
I was born to be an artist, that’s evident. And I can’t define myself as a street artist because I discovered this art world just less than three years ago, I am a baby in this little street world. But it’s fascinating, constantly in movement and so addictive!

– How did it all start for you, and what is it nowadays?
My mom is an artist (painter) so I grew up in her art studio. I always did things with my hands, like jewellery, sculpting, paper cutting, painting, photography and many others.
But I started my professional life as her international agent, and I had few art galleries before I started to be myself an artist just 5 years ago. So it’s really “new”, but so good to finally find who I am.
And 5 years after, everything moves so fast! I’m in a French art dictionary since march of this years, I paint and paste some big walls in the street around the world , I expose my painting permanently in Paris and Marseille in France and also in Montreal. The most beautiful thing is that I live only by my art. It’s just an amazing crazy life!

-What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

I pee! ahahahah like everyone I guess! Then i give a big hug to my cat, Belly, then a shower and the day can start!

-Street art is mostly a visually stimulating form of art. To add one more sense to it, what music would you pick to accompany your art work?
When i’m in the street i don’t listen to music, cause i do that to speak with people who pass by. But in my art studio i put music very often, it changes every week, and this week i’m in love with the new album of “The kills”. I’m also quite a fan of two french artists, ” Juneii ” and ” Art of Shades ” they are like food for my brain ! ahah

-In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What is it that inspires you?
Strong question! Honestly, everything can be inspiring, but the most of the most, is people who I meet. Strangely men inspire me more, because I am writing a lot about their desires and after, I paint. It’s a strange process to explain.

-What is the hardest part while working on a piece of art?
My own fear. But i realise it is not necessary, so I try to forget it when its coming.

-Do you have an artist(s) you admire and what for?
So many!!!! I am a complete fan of the duo Etam cru for their amazing technique, MadC for her work with colours and the transparency, Monsieur Qui by the choice of his subject and the power of it when he pastes it in the street, Romain Froquet because I’m reading a symphony in all of what he’s doing, Apollonia Sinclair because she’s drawing the women desires so well.
They do different types of art, but all of them can touch us by what they do. And one day I will have a painting of all of them!! :))))
-Which cities are the most inspiring for you?
I travel a bit, but I found a place 2 years ago, Marseille, in the south of France. For the first time since so many years I’m feeling at home here. And there is this incredible light in the morning and later for the sunset.

-What other passions do you have apart from art?
I write, poems most of the times.
Last year I write a book of poems that talk about a man and a woman meeting, it’s kind of erotic. And it will probably be published in the beginning of the next year. It is a big project, this “book”, and I‘ve already started to write 5 others books about desires of men and women.
I love to sing too, but I’m shy about it for the moment.

-Do you have a wild project that you dream of achieving some day?
Not only one ahahaha, but more like a thousand! But it’s secret for now… you will hear about it soon.
-Tell us about your art, does it include symbolisms, messages or repeated patterns?
Like you can see, I’m painting almost only women’s faces, because I meet and I met so many inspiring women and I want to translate this powerful thing that they had in colours.
And now on canvas I often add some poems, very discreetly , and sometimes it’s really a big part of my subject. Cause like I said before i wright a lot of poetry about women’s desires.

Manyoly _issa (4)

– How long time does a piece of art work of yours usually survive for?
It could be 10 minutes or even like 2 years… it’s completely unpredictable.

-What do people first think of, or feel, when they see one of your works on the street?
Most of the times its “whaou, thank you, for putting those colours in front of us”
Cause now the cities are so grey and dark and I really do that to give back to us the power and the light of the colours.

-Do you have a secret you would like to share with us? 🙂
Ahahaha, I’m French and it’s my first interview in English so I really hope that everybody can understand what I said here! And I probably did a lot of orthography mistakes.

-What are your creative plans for the future?
For this summer I’m staying in south of France to work on my painting techniques and I will also prepare a very cool video on my work. The First Sunday of September I will paint on a street art festival in Pertuis in France. In October I’m on a very cool group exhibition in Paris at the gallery” Le LavoMatik “, And for November I am preparing a new exhibition in Marseille with a metal sculptor, it’s going to be very surprising!
And in between and after that, I will paste and paint some walls on my road!
-Is there a specific thought or message you would like to pass to our audience out there?
Raise your head; the most beautiful gallery is in the street.
Also, thank you ‘’ I Support Street Art’’ team for this good moment and to help me to improve my English! ahahah