Mathieu Questel

Born in Rouen, France, in 1981, Mathieu Questel is a painter whose work draws deeply from American culture. Influenced by television series, cult films, alternative music, and the heyday of skateboarding, his unconventional journey bridges the worlds of art and digital media, forging a unique vision that blends versatility with a passion for creative expression.

Artistic Approach

Mathieu Questel explores the passage of time and the transformation of ideals such as freedom, authenticity, and rebellion. Inspired by Californian youth culture and skateboarding’s golden years from the 1970s to the 1990s, he invites viewers into a timeless utopia where the past is reshaped into an imaginary space, reconstructed through memory and art.

His works capture moments from an era marked by carefree spirit and a sense of community, before the rise of omnipresent technologies. By revisiting these memories, Questel explores how mythologized figures and styles continue to shape our contemporary vision of freedom.

“My works engage in a dialogue with time. Each portrait, each detail, is an attempt to capture the texture of an era when freedom was lived in the streets, when expression flowed through gestures, styles, and moments fully experienced. I draw on my own youth, shaped by the golden age of Californian skateboarding, to explore the connections between memory, identity, and transformation in a world where the simplicity of that time now gives way to an increasingly digital reality.”

— Mathieu Questel