Born in 1970, Kolé, whose real name is Mylène Collet, is a visual artist who now lives in the south of France.
It was through her interactions with other painters that Kolé developed her artistic style. She created her first works and conducted her initial research in Shlomo Lévy’s studio in 1990—a pivotal moment for Kolé that would prove instrumental in her development as a painter at that time. She then gained a significant boost when she was selected to represent France at the Salon de Montrouge. Building on this new experience, she headed to the Camargue to join Pierre-Marie Brisson’s studio in 2005, then returned to the United States in 2009, settling in San Francisco.
Kolé takes viewers on a true journey through his paintings. His father, a sailor in the government fleet, instilled in him a love of adventure and escape. Through his stories of travels on the high seas, in Africa, or in the Pacific Islands, he has fueled his imagination with epic tales. This strong heritage drives the artist toward an intense openness of mind, making him particularly sensitive to encounters with others.
Kolé’s work thus draws on human relationships and the interactions between them. His work focuses in particular on collective memory, the imprint of humankind, and the traces it leaves on Earth. She then painted in a very intuitive and impulsive manner, on the floor. It is the present moment that she values, in contrast to a constant and fearful flight toward an uncertain future.
Her canvases are filled with phantasmagorical beings and wandering white souls. For Kolé, white serves as a catalyst for color and symbolism. She also highlights plant elements and nature, which take root in collages and assemblages of paper, mixed with India ink and acrylic.
Today, the artist’s work is exhibited in several galleries across Europe.
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