The Robet-Dantec gallery boasts a space perfectly suited for an art gallery. Its primary assets include beautiful wall surfaces, divided into two rooms, and a ceiling height nearing four meters. And the entire space is tastefully furnished—that is, the art of filling space with emptiness.  “For me, it is the artworks alone that should serve as the furnishings,” says Catherine Robet-Dantec, the gallery’s hostess.

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The Robet-Dantec Gallery boasts a space perfectly suited for an art gallery. Its primary assets include beautiful wall surfaces, divided into two rooms, and a ceiling height nearing four meters. And the entire space is tastefully furnished—that is, the art of filling a space with emptiness. “For me, it is the artworks alone that should serve as the furnishings,” says Catherine Robet-Dantec, the gallery’s hostess. 

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In fact, the gallery exudes a sober, minimalist atmosphere, with a distinct “white cube” feel. “I ran a gallery in Belfort for four years. This time, I was determined to set up shop in Nantes. So I already have a whole network of artists across the country,” says Catherine Robet-Dantec. “I appreciate works that explore space and landscapes, particularly those on paper. But we’ll also exhibit three-dimensional pieces, made of iron or glass, as well as digital art.”

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In a space like this, artist Yann Bagot feels right at home exhibiting his large-scale works, which immediately catch the eye. For he needs space—he immerses himself in it by embracing the sea and its movements, as he did during his residency at the Sémaphore at the Pointe du Grouin, near Cancale (Ille-et-Vilaine). Acting as a mediator between the elements and his medium, the artist works primarily outdoors, facing the ocean. “I seek to immerse myself in the moment to connect with my surroundings,” he says.

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Yann Bagot creates while kneeling on the ground, on large sheets of paper laid flat on the floor. And if it happens to rain, we can bet that the artist will use the raindrops to great effect, to perfect his compositions. For therein lies his talent as an alchemist, blending water, India ink, and sometimes a sprinkling of salt. 

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“I work with the material in its liquid state,” explains the painter and draftsman. Facing the elements, “in a dimension where the spectacle unfolds,” Yann Bagot literally drinks in his subject, using seawater as his medium. The artist has also observed the waves of the Baltic Sea at an oceanographic station, from which he has created other medium-format works.

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More poetic, these are inspired by optical devices. But whether originating in Brittany or Sweden, Yann Bagot’s water-based works are surprising in their ability to create depth, movement, and life. A magnificent body of work in black and white.