Engraving occupies a central place in Michaël Cailloux's work, becoming both a technique and an artistic language. A perfectionist artist, he has mastered traditional etching processes with precision, notably drypoint on copper plates.
This demanding method, where each line is carefully engraved, transforms the copper into a living matrix. After inking and printing, the image is revealed, imbued with unparalleled depth and richness. In his engravings, the plant and animal scrolls, imbued with an aspective dynamism inspired by Egyptian art, defy classical perspective to offer a frontal and immersive vision. Far from conventions, Michaël Cailloux innovates by composing "varia," unique works born from the recomposition and permutation of plate fragments. Each print tells a new story, like a constellation reinvented with each impression. Printed on exceptional papers such as Arches Vellum, his engravings come in sophisticated shades: deep blue, Payne's gray, black, silver, or gold, which magnify the compositions. The subtle play of inking and embossing gives the paper a vibrant and tactile materiality, inviting the viewer to an experience that is as much visual as it is sensitive.
