TALKING PICTURES Pascal Duval

Pascal Duval's creative journey began with a deep connection to drawing, which has remained important to him throughout his life and artistic practice. His art has evolved over time, driven by a need to express his inner world. Working mainly with acrylics and oil pastels, Pascal’s pieces draw inspiration from today’s society, blending elements of pop culture, counterculture, and street culture. His eclectic, collage-like works are raw, unpolished, full of personal demons, dreams, joy and pain. Pascal Duval is based in Amsterdam and represented by Bisou Gallery. Next to his art practice, he works as a Creative Director, creating iconic campaigns for renowned brands, from G-Star to VanMoof and beyond.

The title 'Organised Confusion' is an oxymoron. For me, it’s a visual representation of how my mind works — a mix of thoughts, emotions, memories, fantasies, dreams, fears,  thrills, and secrets. Some on display, while others are locked up, hidden in vases or placed behind a curtain. 

I enjoy the idea that as your eye moves across the painting, new details emerge, just as our  thoughts shift unpredictably from one to another. It’s this ever-changing, elusive nature of the mind that I aim to capture here.

In my work, I often paint skulls as a reminder of life, not necessarily death - enjoy life as we will all die - Memento Mori. Because most of the time, viewers perceive them as symbols of  death, this time I wanted to create something different.

I challenged myself to paint a skull that embodies a lust-for-life-like optimism. With vibrant brushstrokes and eyes like sunflowers, this piece radiates energy, yet there’s an underlying sense of the sinister, maintaining that balance between life and death.

The term 'fool’s gold' refers to pyrite — a mineral that resembles gold but is ultimately worthless. It’s also one of my favourite songs by The Stone Roses. Like the song, this piece is about  the disillusionment that comes from chasing something that appears valuable, only to realise it holds no true worth. It reflects the emptiness of pursuing material or superficial desires — like  wealth or fame — that never lead to true fulfilment or happiness. It visualises the question, What does true value look like?

Just like the song King For A Day by Faith No More, this work is about the hollowness that comes with seeking power for its own sake. It portrays a character who temporarily holds a position of  authority - in his moment of glory. With a puffed-up chest, eyes fixed on the prize, and  driven by greed, he positions himself above  others, if only for a moment. His reign is short-lived, a reminder that abuse of power is ultimately hollow, and the consequences will inevitably return.

This black-and-white painting explores the  tension between masculinity and femininity. At its core, a traditional image of a boxer  juxtaposes the traditionally delicate, feminine  form of the vase. A box cutter and a crocodile add a layer of violence or maybe strength. The black flowers symbolise resilience but are cut off and placed at the bottom of the canvas - almost like a film reel, symbolising an ongoing narrative, continuing beyond the frame. The title 'You Are a Winner, Baby' was inspired by ‘Every 1’s a winner’ by Hot Chocolate.

It is a loose visualisation of life’s ongoing cycles  — from seed to plant, absorbing sunlight, bearing fruit, feeding humans, and becoming part of the food chain. Eventually, everything  returns to the earth, creating fertile ground for  new growth. This work reflects how everything in nature is connected — each step linked to the next in a quiet rhythm that keeps the world turning. Sometimes we forget we are part of that too, all of us sharing the same natural habitat.

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