Laurie Restagno, a 36-year-old self-taught artist from Marseille, has partnered with renowned French singer Benjamin Biolay to create watercolor illustrations for the travel journals accompanying his latest album "Le Disque Bleu" (The Blue Record), which was released on October 16th. The collaboration showcases Restagno's distinctive Mediterranean-inspired artwork centered around various shades of blue.
Restagno, who grew up in Marseille's Longchamp neighborhood where she attended the local middle school and still lives today, works from her bright apartment on the top floor of a typical Marseille building, which also serves as her art studio. Her current series, titled "Secrets d'Azur" (Secrets of Azure), features large-format paintings dominated by azure and ultramarine blue tones. These refined canvases showcase amphoras, scrolls, arabesques, plant forms, and seashells in a graphic and poetically delicate universe.
The artist's Mediterranean inspiration and focus on blue hues naturally aligned with Biolay's new album concept. "It was through a mutual friend that I was able to present my work to Benjamin Biolay and his team," explained Restagno, who spent twelve years working in web marketing before recently transitioning to pursue her artistic career full-time. The connection between painting, music, and the color blue created a perfect synergy for the collaboration.
Restagno's artwork was already visible to Marseille residents through various local installations, including the storefront of the ceramic workshop-boutique Ceracotta in the city's 4th arrondissement, as well as on the walls of businesses and medical offices throughout the area. Her distinctive style, characterized by its Mediterranean themes and predominantly blue palette, has been gaining recognition in the local art scene before catching the attention of Biolay's creative team.
