"Don't forget to rock and roll ! " Patrick Alsen Toby
In a few words, who are you?
Patrick Toby, self-taught artist
When and how did you get into your art?
I started my artistic career in February 2021 following a friendly discussion around a good table late at night.
Today, my work is mainly done digitally. A tool that I originally used in an unlikely way thanks to my background as a stage designer.
What does this discipline bring you?
An art of rethinking my life experiences, of translating them in a different way with the care of sharing while keeping an eye on the future. A dive into the world of art, past and present.
New encounters, happy and surprising discoveries.
What makes your art unique?
For this answer, I am echoing gallery owners and/or art lovers. My work is innovative because of my technique, which has been diverted from its original purpose, and my unconventional style, which does not remind me of any other artist.
What do you think are the important qualities for an artist?
Commitment, transmission, the desire to share emotion or visual escape.
What do you think are the particularities of a Belgian artist?
Our very particular culture, a form of offbeatness, a serious and humble derision.
If we start with the definition of R. Magritte who says that "to be surrealist is to banish the notion of - déjà vu - and seek out the not yet seen". What is surrealism for you?
Dreams, the imaginary, revolt and, as mentioned above, the refusal of the déjà vu.
Why is surrealism important?
To externalise one's creativity, an absolute letting go. To reformat your grey matter, to innovate.
What do you like about Belgium that you can't find anywhere else?
The Belgians.
