About Benoit Havard

Born in 1981 in Orléans, France, Benoit Havard began drawing and painting at just six years old. From an early age, his mother introduced him to art galleries and museums. As a result, he developed a strong attraction to expressive and energetic artworks.

In particular, he admired the work of French landscape painter Michel Jouenne, whose influence helped shape his early visual language.

Artistic Training and Early Career

In 1998, Benoit enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts de Cherbourg. There, he studied under Lejeune and Valadié, who helped refine his technical approach. By the age of 19, Benoit was painting full-time.

Initially, he explored watercolour painting, especially during his travels to Morocco. However, his style soon evolved. Over time, he transitioned to oil painting, adopting the palette knife as his primary tool.

Urban Landscapes and Inspiration

Today, Benoit Havard is best known for his dreamlike urban landscapes. His paintings glow with warmth, light, and movement. He draws inspiration from his travels, photographing city scenes as a starting point. However, he does not aim for literal representation.

Instead, Benoit seeks to extract emotional power from each scene. As he explains, his goal is “to bring the subject into my own world.”

Technique and Artistic Style

Benoit’s paintings are spontaneous and expressive. They focus on light and contrast rather than fine detail. Using bold palette knife strokes, he layers transparency, streaks, and soft fades. As a result, his work gains texture, rhythm, and energy.

He frequently depicts cities such as New York, London, and Paris. These urban scenes appear in their purest form, saturated with colour. Moreover, the balance between warm tones and cool blue greys gradually pushes his compositions towards abstraction.

Benoit typically begins by building the background. He then introduces figures, cars, and what he calls “life movement.” Only at the final stage does he add detail, allowing the shapes of the city to fully emerge.

Exhibitions and Collections

Since 2004, Benoit Havard has exhibited widely in galleries across Europe. In addition, he has been the guest of honour at several prestigious exhibitions. His artworks now form part of notable private collections, including that of Louis Vuitton.