Dominique: art enthusiast and guardian of nature

My name is Dominique Bour, I am 26 years old and I am a self-taught artist with a passion for many artistic fields. As soon as I learned to hold a pencil, I never stopped experimenting and exploring new forms of expression. At the same time, I am a lover of nature, animals and ornithology.

For the past ten years or so, my art has reflected my passion for nature, birds and endangered species. In particular, I created a soot painting of a pangolin, which was auctioned off to raise funds for the ENV VIETNAM association, which fights against poaching and illegal trade.

Two techniques frequently recur in my work:

• Soot painting: this ancient technique consists of covering a support with soot to create abstract or figurative forms. I particularly appreciate its ephemeral and symbolic character: soot, both fragile and volatile, evokes the disappearance of species and the duality between destruction and rebirth.
• Papercraft: this is a technique of cutting and assembling paper to create three-dimensional works. It allows me to transcribe memories and imagine landscapes like dioramas.

I discovered this technique while creating Les espèces parapluies, a digital work combining papercraft, soot painting and animation. This animated diorama depicts the gradual disappearance of birds, illustrated by a transition from abundance to total absence, where only the sound of the wind remains.

My next project will combine soot painting and papercraft in a new diorama, this time made entirely with soot.

It has always been in me. From childhood, I was captivated by the flora and fauna, nourished by the documentaries that I watched over and over again.
I think I have simply retained that childlike spirit that marvels at everything, asks questions and finds beauty in the smallest details. My curiosity drives me to explore, learn and observe every day.
For example, in photography, I take as much pleasure in capturing the image of a parrot as that of a pigeon.

It is difficult for me to choose among my works, but if I had to pick one, it would be Bob the Turtle, a soot painting (88×66 cm) created in 2022.

It depicts my water turtle, Bob, who accompanied me for years before disappearing shortly after the work was completed. This painting is part of a series of about forty portraits of her, and this quadriptych is the one that made the greatest impression on me.

I am curious by nature and I love to experiment. In parallel to my artistic work, I do graphic design, ornithological photography and a little classical guitar.