In 1999, Erwan Peron was badly shaken by an oil spill off the Atlantic coast in France. Erika, a fuel oil laden tanker, sank in Atlantic Ocean near the coast of France. The oil spill from the tanker washed up a huge coastline of the country, causing deaths of thousands of marine birds and animals.

The incident left a deep impression on the artist, and made him choose painting and sculpture as his medium to talk about nature.

“After the incident, all the marine animals and plants turned into black and dead statues. I could not describe how nature had been destroyed,” said the artist.

“My previous works told the stories about the incident before the audience,” said Peron, who recently took part in an exhibition titled “Make Your Own Universe Open to the World” in the port city.

On December 10, Alliance Française de Chittagong organised the exhibition in its auditorium where 10 artists from three organisations- Jog Alternative Art Space, Porapara Space for Artists and Institute of Fine Arts of Chittagong University--  took part with their creative paintings and installations. CU's Institute of Fine Arts Director Nasima Akhter inaugurated the exhibition.

Erwan Peron, a student of ISBA, the Higher Institute of Fine Arts, Besancon, had  shifted to east coast in France with his family from west coast surrounded by Atlantic Ocean.

The landscapes of the new place were dramatically different, which inspired him to discover the nature of other countries like Bangladesh, said the artist.

At the exhibition, Erwan's art piece “The Weak will be the First”, a work on mixed media using plaster, watercolour and acrylic, describes the difference of the scenic beauty of the new place.

Raphael Jaeger, director of Alliance Française de Chittagong, told The Daily Star that the rich heritage and culture of the region inspired the artist to come to the  country.

Informing that Erwan Peron and Chittagong's artiste Apu Dhar's joint video art performance titled “Melting Existence” has toured different cities in France on the occasion of Paris COP21 Summit, the Alliance Française de Chittagong Director said the performance has focused on how people's unwanted interference are destroying  nature.

“I think this kind of interchange of arts would make bridge with people of the two countries”, added Raphael. 

Praising the works of the artists of Chittagong, Erwan said that he was really fascinated to see the style how they (artistes of the region) work.

He also expressed his gratitude to Alliance Française de Chittagong to give him opportunity to visit the beautiful country.

“I have learnt many things from the country. The friendliness of the people, Tagore's songs and Chittagong's Patenga beach have fascinated me. The spicy food of the region is also special. The opportunity to know the people and the country's abundance of nature, will remain ever fresh in my mind,” said Erwan.