JD: And your first memories of painting, when are they from? 

MRL: I think my mother introduced me by having me make paintings as Christmas gifts. Otherwise, I drew a lot with markers after school.

JD: Was it your means of expression?

MRL: Yes, a space of freedom.

JD: And in high school, were you still on that path?

MRL: Not at all.

JD: You didn’t necessarily see yourself doing it as a profession?

MRL: No, I also saw the other side of the coin. I was aware of the solitude and frustration that can come with this profession. Plus, I was a good student. I studied at Henri-IV, so I was more oriented toward more traditional academic paths.

JD: Did you feel pressure to succeed academically?

MRL: Yes, it felt a bit pointless.

JD: At what point did you change direction?

MRL: At 16, I went to an art school in the U.S. for the summer. It was a summer school, and I discovered oil painting. Those are powerful memories. But at that moment, I didn’t dare to project myself into that path: it felt like too much pleasure, not what I considered “serious” work.

JD: So, in the end, did you pursue academic studies?

MRL: No, I graduated from high school, but I didn’t get into the prep programs I was interested in. At the same time, I had enrolled at the Ateliers de Sèvres.

JD: You submitted your application without much hope?

MRL: Yes, kind of. Many of my friends didn’t understand why I was even considering it. But during the summer, I went to Italy, saw tons of paintings, read about art history, and the path became clear. I told myself I wouldn’t do business prep but would give art a chance.

JD: Is that when you started painting every day?

MRL: Yes, at Ateliers de Sèvres, to prepare for the art school entrance exams. I had a deep anxiety about life choices, time passing, where vital energy should go. And with painting, suddenly, all of that made sense. All my passions — research, science, literature, history, aesthetics — came together in painting.

JD: So everything aligned at that moment?

MRL: Yes, but with its share of anxiety and doubt. It wasn’t an easy path.

JD: And then you got into the Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts School)?

MRL: Yes, I stayed there for five years.

JD: Did it go well?

MRL: Yes, the most important thing is that I met Christine Safa, Nathanaëlle Herbelin, Elené Shatberashvili, Cecilia Granara — a whole group of artist friends, which is precious.

JD: And after the Beaux-Arts, what came next?

MRL: I did an exchange in London, which was very important for me. At the Beaux-Arts, I had acquired technical foundations, but I felt I hadn’t really put my guts into painting yet. In London, I was able to explode, in an environment that had fewer expectations about what’s "beautiful" or "well done." 

JD: London was also an art school?

MRL: Yes, the Slade School of Fine Art.

JD: There are more art schools in London, right?

MRL: Yes, that’s true, and it’s a very stimulating environment. My work completely changed there. 

JD: Is that where you found your main themes, particularly around sexuality, surrealism, and the imaginary in your work?

MRL: Yes, there’s a kind of English fantasy, with color and exuberance, that inspired me.

JD: Were those themes already of interest to you or did you develop them there?

MRL: I think they were inside me, but London helped me explore them fully. Leaving Paris also freed me. Here, I sometimes felt a sense of claustrophobia.

JD: Totally. Cities like New York can also be very inspiring.

MRL: Yes, absolutely. I found a more visceral relationship to painting there.

JD: And your work revolves a lot around sexuality, especially female sexuality. That’s quite rare, especially coming from a woman in the painting world today. Where does that drive come from?

MRL: I think it comes largely from discovering visual artists like Tracey Emin, for example. She’s an incredible English artist whom I discovered in London. Actually, she has a retrospective in Florence right now, titled"Sex and Solitude." The title really resonates with what I’m searching for at the moment.

JD: That’s interesting indeed. The idea of the link between desire and solitude resonates. And you mentioned being influenced by other artists, not only contemporary ones. Are there older references that marked you, like Leonor Fini?

MRL: I also think of artists like Dorothea Tanning, who worked between painting and sculpture, who built a total universe. There’s also Pierre Klossowski, Balthus’s brother, with whom I had the chance to do a duo show this year. His work embodies fantasy — large colored pencil drawings — and he gave me the courage to explore those themes myself.

JD: So you really see your work as an intimate journal?

MRL: My work is really centered on emotion. I can’t start a piecewithout having lived through the experience I’m talking about. If it’s not necessary, I’m not interested. For me, painting without a question to resolve is at risk of producing a simply beautiful canvas, without substance.

JD: That’s the strength of your approach. Speaking of uniqueness, your way of working with formats is very personal, far from conventions. How do you choose your cuts and perforations?

MRL: All of that is very instinctive. When I was at art school, I quickly started using collage to compose my paintings. I had a breakthrough during a conversation with artist Jean-Michel Alberola. At a time when I felt creatively blocked, he encouraged me to stop wanting to “respect the canvas” and to embrace the more chaotic essence that came from the state of my workspace. It helped me realize that the canvas, beyond its frame, is a living material with immense potential.

JD: So you advocate a more raw and authentic approach, rejecting the illusion often associated with traditional painting.

MRL: It’s more complex than rejection. I feel the need to deconstruct that illusion while still being fascinated by realistic questions. Painting is a field of exploration.

JD: Speaking of exploration, you’re starting to turn toward sculpture, right?

MRL: Yes, that was a turning point for me, inspired by Isa Genzken, a German artist I discovered during a retrospective in Berlin. Her punk approach and her assemblages of forms really moved me. She gradually moved away from minimalist norms to create something more organic and bold.

JD: That must have been a great discovery! Do you have an upcoming exhibition?

MRL: Yes, I’m preparing an exhibition titled"Copiste" for the Centre Pompidou Metz, which will take place in June, shortly before the Basel fair where I’ll also be showing some of my new works.

JD: And do you have other projects coming up?

MRL: There’s also a solo show planned with Philippe Jousse for October. I’m still working on it.