Sophie-Yen Bretez
Sophie-Yen Bretez (b. 1994, Vietnam) is a self-taught emerging artist currently living and working in Paris. Bretez moved to France at a young age, providing her with a rich fusion of cultural heritage reflected in her multifaceted artistic practice. After completing a Grand École Masters at Neoma Business School in 2018, Bretez held multiple management positions throughout Paris before deciding to pursue her passion for art and creating full time in 2021.
Presenting a thematic fusion of autobiography and narrative identity, Bretez’s oeuvre is marked by her signature dream-like surrealist figuration and skilful depiction of complex emotional states. Focusing on discovering ways in which to mirror the human condition in a state of recovery, Bretez’s works often include an illuminated horizon line, stating that “I paint horizons for those who have suffered.” By portraying her characters in semi-open spaces with a sunset or sunrise in the background, Bretez blurs the boundaries of the confined ‘safe’ space one builds for themselves in moments of weakness, ultimately highlighting the ambivalence of existence and the ambiguity of the human condition.
Bretez is also interested in challenging the traditional male gaze. She utilises reverse voyeurism and the evident nudity of her characters to challenge our societal relationship with the naked female body. Unfaltering and strong, the women in Bretez’s paintings stare directly at the spectator, serving to simultaneously create distance and prove they are not at the viewer's disposal — rather, they assert control of their own bodies.
As a natural storyteller, Bretez begins each painting with a poem linked to memory. Titling her works after these spontaneous and instinctual poems, Bretez incorporates an additional layer of dialogue between the work, the viewer, and herself. Bretez seeks to perpetuate a wider reflection of political, societal, philosophical, and existential themes, testifying to the intimate and universal through substantive narratives.
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« One day we will find a home Where the sound of silence, Outweighs the din of tears, Far from the violence of wine And shattered doors, Close by the ocean. - Hope as shelter. », 2023
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« Rays of sun, dew of the sea Come! Come over my land! My surf-tormented shores Made of grains of golden sand, and thousands of silent roars. », 2023
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« In one night they took from me What I have not yet Managed to find again. Left in the open sea, Holding back my tears With a bitter shamelessness. - First times. », 2022
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« Taking care of each other, As the rain flows into, The sea and the spelt. I am nectar and honey, Pistil and flower - To be picked with gentleness. », 2022
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Portraits: Through The Looking Glass | London
Group Exhibition 20 Feb - 22 Mar 2025Portraits: Through The Looking Glass is a group exhibition curated by Annie Pereira, uniting paintings by twenty distinguished contemporary artists who seek to redefine our understanding of representation, perception, and...Read more -
Carte Blanche | Dubai
29 Jan - 13 Apr 2025Dubai, United Arab Emirates (January 2025) - Situated on the vibrant boulevard beside the world's tallest tower, JD Malat Gallery prepares for its foray into the Middle East with a...Read more -
Journeys – 'On Paper'
5 Jun - 13 Jul 2024JD Malat Gallery is thrilled to announce 'Journeys', an online exhibition showcasing nine artists' works on paper. The medium of paper serves as a vital bridge, seamlessly connecting the intangible...Read more -
Here & Now
5 Jun - 20 Jul 2024Here & Now , will bring together both represented artists, and new artistic voices from outside of the gallery's roster. Presenting a convergence of diverse practices and creative visions, Here...Read more -
Summer Exhibition 2023
10 Aug - 2 Sep 2023JD Malat Gallery is proud to present its Summer Exhibition of 2023 with works by Andy Moses, Ayanfe Olarinde, Andrew Litten, Conrad Jon Godly, Ed Moses, Emily Gillbanks, Erin Holly,...Read more -
Sophie-Yen Bretez: Powerful, Despite It All
8 Jun - 8 Jul 2023In celebration of the gallery's 5th anniversary, JD Malat is thrilled to present Powerful, despite it all , a solo exhibition by French-Vietnamese artist Sophie-Yen Bretez. A champion of emerging...Read more -
Woman, Empowered
8 Jun - 1 Jul 2022JD Malat Gallery is pleased to present Woman, Empowered our first exhibition featuring an all female selection of artists, from 8 June - 9 July, 2022. The exhibition will display...Read more
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Artnet News: JD Malat Gallery Puts Down Roots in Dubai With Its First Middle East Outpost
Artnet, February 26, 2025 -
Dedicate Magazine: JD Malat London, presents, Portraits: Through The Looking Glass
Dedicate Magazine , February 19, 2025 -
Artsy: The Art We’re Obsessed With in June 2024
Artsy Editorial, Artsy, June 20, 2024 -
Fine Art Shippers: JD MALAT GALLERY OPENS THE VIBRANT CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITION “HERE & NOW”
Fine Art Shippers , June 17, 2024
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300 Magazine: Fluid Identities In The “Here & Now” Exhibition At JD Malat Gallery
Ilya , 300 Magazine , June 17, 2024 -
BBC RADIO LONDON: Gallery director discusses 'Contemporary Figuration: Between Body & Metaphor'
Jumoké Fashola, BBC Radio London, January 7, 2024 -
A Refreshing Take on Figurative Painting at JD Malat Gallery
Lee Sharrock, CULTURALEE, December 18, 2023 -
ART PLUGGED: Contemporary Figuration: Between Body & Metaphor
Art Plugged, December 15, 2023
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FORBES: SOPHIE-YEN BRETEZ IN WOMEN ARTISTS ART WEEK
Joanne Shurvell, June 10, 2023 -
Artistry And Milestones: JD Malat Gallery Commemorates 5th Anniversary With Striking Showcase Of Sophie-Yen Bretez’ Debu
Deborah Gouineau, Business Mondays, June 9, 2023 -
ART PLUGGED: SOPHIE-YEN BRETEZ, POWERFUL DESPITE IT ALL
Art Plugged, June 5, 2023