Artistic journey
Jo, Digital
Art
25 YEARS IN ADVERTISING
Born in Magescq, France in 1966, in the Landes region, Vincent Lahouze was both curious and creative in everything he did very early on in life. The son of shopkeepers, he followed in his parents’ footsteps by studying in the same field (Bayonne Chamber of Commerce).In 1995, he began working in advertising for municipal magazines (advertising management). To complete his training and experience in this field, he trained as a graphic designer at the Beaux-arts (School of Fine Arts) in Bayonne, France to learn how to use creative software such as Quark Xpress, Photoshop and Illustrator.
A 10-year Apprenticeship in 2000. Vincent participated very actively in the success of Expression magazine. On the graphic design side, his talent came to light thanks to collaboration with a master of graphic technique (Didier Irr). It was a crucial encounter for further development and everything thereafter. He also discovered the art of photography. During this period, with a camera strapped over his shoulder at all times, he took thousands of photos of every subject, every shape and under every condition.
In 2010, thanks to all these various kinds of experience, he created his own magazine "Le Q Rouge" where he is both the graphic designer, photographer and editor. Both passionate and technically experienced, Vincent can fully express his sense of creativity.
This was when he began to create his first experimental works combining photography and graphic design.
ARTISTIC CREATION: THE COMBINATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Vincent Lahouze began experimenting with his creations using photos of the storm Klaus.
And he discovered how much everything is reversed with graphics - it’s the photo that determines the color and creates the graphic palette, and each one reserves its own surprises. It is by working on this that the chromatic range of the photo is revealed, depending on sun exposure, temperature, etc.
This is how the first digital works of the Landes native were created. During the same period, he met Marie-Laure Soares, former director of the Musée de Chartres (Chartres Museum).
She loved his work immediately and encouraged him to do his first exhibitions. She also suggested that he use his pseudonym which suits him so perfectly, a nickname given to him when he was just a boy and with which he would henceforth sign all his works - Jo.
The digital artist refined his technique over and over, and began to make graphic photomontages of several photos.
Gradually, he managed to break up the colors, extract them, find shades, and stretch them into infinitely small dimensions.
Digital technology makes it possible to test, experiment, make and redo, change the position of shadows and light to translate movement, and work with precision.
The pleasure of creating
Jo strives to find a certain true essence of color, powerful, in a minimum amount of space, while respecting the basics. Because even in innovation, he continues to focus on tradition, using painting techniques from the Renaissance period, an era of absolute perfectionism in the art of translating an atmosphere or an emotion that inspires him.
Just like everyday life – a picture, an encounter, a reading, etc. - Jo especially enjoys what he does and what he creates: “According to brain specialists, working with pleasure or passion multiplies neurons and therefore creativity. The works are influenced by it, it's magnetic when you look at them!!!”
And yes, the pleasure is contagious, and one example is the 'Coup de Coeur' Prize, which he was awarded in December 2020 by a jury of professionals at the YICCA International Contest of Contemporary Art. It's possible to meet Jo by making an appointment at his workshop in the Landes, or at one of his exhibitions
JO ART NUMÉRIQUE