MATTHIEU SCHAEFFER

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MATTHIEU SCHAEFFER

Matthieu Schaeffer’s artistic journey is shaped by a duality between the organic and the artificial. Born in 1998, he grew up between Kenya and Paris, developing a deep connection to wildlife that continues to influence his work. Initially trained in engineering, he studied at EPFL in Switzerland before earning a degree in aerospace engineering in Toulouse in 2021. Throughout his studies, he maintained a parallel artistic practice, first cultivated at the ateliers d’art de Rueil-Malmaison between 2012 and 2016.

Today, Schaeffer’s work focuses on hyperrealistic representations of ceramic and plastic animals. These subjects, often inspired by species from his childhood, embody both nostalgia and concern for environmental degradation. By painting these creatures in a smooth, artificial medium, he highlights the fragility of ecosystems and the way humans transform nature into aestheticized objects. His precise, almost clinical approach to painting echoes his scientific background, yet his work remains deeply introspective, infused with themes of memory, dreams, and the passage of time.

Through his meticulous renderings, Schaeffer invites viewers to reconsider their perception of nature, prompting questions about conservation, artificiality, and the boundaries between the real and the reproduced. His paintings create a subtle yet powerful dialogue between the organic world and its synthetic imitations.

My work reflects the delicate balance between memory, nature, and artificiality. By transforming animals into polished objects, I invite viewers to rethink their relationship with the natural world.

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Matthieu Schaeffer’s World

Matthieu Schaeffer’s paintings are delicate balances between nature and artifice, childhood and adulthood, nostalgia and hyperrealism. Growing up between Kenya and Paris, he was surrounded by diverse ecosystems that now serve as the backbone of his work. His subjects—ceramic and plastic animals—capture both the beauty and vulnerability of wildlife, transforming familiar creatures into polished, almost untouchable objects. Each painting feels like a moment suspended in time, reflecting the way memory alters our perception of the past.

Where He Has Been

Schaeffer’s early training began in the ateliers d’art de Rueil-Malmaison, where he honed his skills between 2012 and 2016. He later pursued a career in aerospace engineering, studying at EPFL and obtaining his degree in Toulouse in 2021. Despite his scientific trajectory, his artistic practice remained central, allowing him to merge technical precision with emotional depth. His work continues to evolve, bridging the hyperreal with the symbolic, questioning how we perceive and preserve the natural world.

Matthieu Schaeffer’s World

Matthieu Schaeffer’s paintings are delicate balances between nature and artifice, childhood and adulthood, nostalgia and hyperrealism. Growing up between Kenya and Paris, he was surrounded by diverse ecosystems that now serve as the backbone of his work. His subjects—ceramic and plastic animals—capture both the beauty and vulnerability of wildlife, transforming familiar creatures into polished, almost untouchable objects. Each painting feels like a moment suspended in time, reflecting the way memory alters our perception of the past.

Where He Has Been

Schaeffer’s early training began in the ateliers d’art de Rueil-Malmaison, where he honed his skills between 2012 and 2016. He later pursued a career in aerospace engineering, studying at EPFL and obtaining his degree in Toulouse in 2021. Despite his scientific trajectory, his artistic practice remained central, allowing him to merge technical precision with emotional depth. His work continues to evolve, bridging the hyperreal with the symbolic, questioning how we perceive and preserve the natural world.

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