"We Are All Mac Aron" by Jonathan Ouisse

We are all Macaron ???? Men, women, colors…taste ???

Jonathan Ouisse is an artist whose artworks carry a message that calls upon us…

As it happens, whether we love or don't the 5 artworks that make up this “mini-series”, we must admit that they prompt us to interrogate, well beyond their aesthetics.

Text analysis...

This series takes on matters of our society, its codes which we don, making a travesty of our appearances and, consequently, of our self-acceptance and our acceptance of others.

In this accelerated and turbulent world, we reevaluate and adjust the essence of our being: what we are, who we are; what makes us unique, different, dissimilar. 

With this induced relativity in regard to others, we look to differentiate ourselves, and, therefore, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. With the (increasing) risk of prejudice, along with many filters, which arise from obtuseness, the ignorance of others or preconceived ideas, the mind becomes obscure. Or filters stemming from codes and trends which are more and more often imposed on us by our society. When in fact “our real enemies lie within us” (Bossuet). At the same time, we are capable of endless solidarity and compassion. We should not forget the undeniable fact that we belong to one another, we are interconnected, and that we are who we are because of others. “People are needed to construct someone. Man is special because he can change someone, become someone. We must teach this capacity to our children: to build oneself starting with others, be enriched.” (Albert Jacquard). Not to mention the also increasing “communitarian” influence and all the “social” networks woven in its web.

All unique yet linked and interconnected, sharing the same “mould” and “recipe basis” …while being influenced by style and taste trends…Indeed: we are all macaroons !

Macaroons have different flavors and different colors. From the “classical” vanilla, chocolate, strawberry to the more original and complex savors. STILL, they all have the same shape and are created in the same way.

This applies to all living beings, we are all macaroons ! But, do we personally choose the flavor and color? Doesn’t society have the annoying tendency of imposing them on us ?

And this question applies as much to the macaron we wish to be as it does to the one we wish to savour.

You’re free to choose ! The following question is meant to interrogate, precisely, our degree of freedom in regard to who we are and our appearance. To be or not to be a macaroon ? To endure or (scream) ?

Discover Jonathan's artworks in our gallery in Anglet and on our website.