The great battle of Trocadéro

The gallery's
opinion

“The great battle of Trocadéro” is a contemporary painting with a 3D effect by the painter and multimedia artist Dominique Mulhem.

THE TECHNIQUE

Dominique Mulhem uses lenticular holography in his holopaintings. He was one of the first artists to use this technique in the 1970s. He is considered one of the pioneers of holography and the very first multimedia artist.

On the one hand, the technique used by Dominique Mulhem allows the eye to perceive three-dimensional effects. Moreover, the behaviour of visitors to the art gallery is revealing in this respect. They often try to gauge the thickness of the work. They imagine it as a box containing objects positioned one behind the other. Sometimes the children, deceived by the optical illusion, even bring their hands closer. They try to grasp the elements represented in the foreground.

This work is neither sculpture, nor painting, nor photography, nor digital art, but perhaps all at once, it is holopainting.

THE WORK

In “The great battle of Trocadéro”, small biplane fighter planes in pop colours, a tank and a ship, all of which seem to have been taken out of a toy box, are in full combat. But here, the war is not set on the Spanish island of Trocadero, nor in 1823; instead, Mulhem plays with the modern landmarks of Trocadero Square and the Eiffel Tower. To add incongruity to comedy, the whole thing unfolds around the elegant legs of a woman and her Louboutin pumps.

By giving the title of this painting the name of a famous feat of arms, Dominique Mulhem seems to be distancing himself from the military fact.

The frame, with a rod covered with a smoked mirror lacquer, contributes to sublimate this very beautiful piece.