French painter Myrtille Tibayrenc brings a new body of work to Alliance Française Chiang Mai with DAIMON, a solo exhibition exploring the human figure as a site of myth and transformation. Her paintings unfold in dreamlike landscapes populated by symbolic animals and solitary figures, drawing on Symbolist painting, mythology and Renaissance imagery without settling into portraiture or straightforward allegory. The technique matters as much as the subject: Tibayrenc preps traditional gesso grounds on wood panels and builds her images through layered oil glazes, a method she taught herself after studying art at a time when conceptual approaches had pushed traditional painting out of French art schools. Two decades living in Thailand show up in her use of gold leaf, putting European painting traditions in conversation with Thai sacred art.
July 11-August 16. Alliance Française Chiang Mai. 138 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Khlan. Mon-Sat 9am-6pm. Opening reception July 11, 6pm
