hidden signs of a symbolic presence: letters and words subtly surfacing, forming the metaphor of memory, barely perceptible, a trace of “this-has-been.” This individuation resonates in the paintings of Mathias Bensimon, for whom light possesses its own materiality and texture. Light becomes the architect, the demiurge, animating the colors that dance before the viewer’s eyes. This multitude of individuated characters imbues his works with the freedom of interpretation—what he calls “space,” an intimate relationship between the subjectivity of the observer and the object observed. Presented by Ghost Galerie, these two singular artists converge in their perspectives on urban art, graffiti, and post-graffiti, embracing approaches that, while not identical, share a desire to transcend formal and conceptual structures. They seek to awaken the viewer’s subjective sensitivity through an intensified engagement with the artwork. Ana Monsó: On EPODE and Her Painting Process What does the title EPODE say about your work and your painting style? What does it mean to you? “In my work, two separate worlds coexist and become visible as one: the rational world and the poetic world. What you see are abstract, nostalgic reinterpretations of my memories, created in two stages. The first is the rational stage, where I freely reinterpret my memories, sketching what the moment evokes as I relive it. The second is the poetic stage, where the symbols created in the rational phase are covered with a layer of paint. By adding the paint freely, I don’t know what will remain visible once it dries. It’s a metaphor for what is left of the memory within me, as some elements have been erased, just like in the painting. These two stages—or, in other words, these two worlds (poetic and rational)—coexist and work together to create a final piece, a song, leading to a new world, much like in an epode, where two unequal verses form the lyrical final couplet.” Mathias Bensimon: On EPODE and His Painting Process What does the title EPODE say about your work and your painting style? What does it mean to you? “To evoke what the word epode inspired in me, I would quote Horace: ‘But me, for whom life holds no charm but you alive, otherwise unbearable? You tell me to pursue my leisure. Should I? It is only sweet with you.’ To provoke existential reflection, I wish to pose this question: What drives us? The enigma of creation has always been sublimated by an existential dichotomy—a delicate balance between evanescence and timelessness. Our perception of the world, after all, rests on three constitutive elements: matter, energy, and knowledge (or information). Artistic creation, too, is imbued with these principles: matter from our daily lives, energy in the gesture, movement, and action, and affective or sensory intelligence—the emotional tonality that emanates from the work and the experience it elicits. Art, akin to a fundamental human necessity, is paradoxically devoid of practical utility. It embodies a duality: a spiritual manifestation (of the mind) and a physical one (of matter), inducing a profound sensory experience.” —Mathias Bensimon