Opening reception: November 1st, 6 – 8 pm

Octavia Art Gallery is pleased to present Architectural Fragments, a solo exhibition featuring new drawings and paintings by Pierre Bergian.

In Bergian’s recent work, the artist explores the evocative power of architectural fragments. These fragments invite viewers to imagine what’s missing, using them to form a visual language of suggestion, memory, and movement through time and space. The imagined environments sit at the crossroads of architecture and archaeology, disciplines both rooted in fragments and what they left behind. Increasingly, these spaces are inhabited by sculptural elements that feel both ancient and newly conceived, creating a layered dialogue between past and present.

A pivotal shift in Bergian’s practice occurred while painting interior portraits of Hubert de Givenchy’s Parisian palazzo, sparking a profound appreciation for detail. In his current work, details appear more as impressions than literal depictions.

For the first time, Bergian introduces large-scale drawings on paper, created with spontaneity and immediacy. These works emerge without hesitation, guided by what he calls “dynamic pencils and brushes.” The approach marks a move toward instinct over deliberation.

While drawing and painting, Bergian listens to piano music and imagines walking through the fragmented architectural spaces he has created.

Bergian studied Archeology at the University of Ghent and has published writings on the topic of design and architecture. He has had solo exhibitions at Purdy Hicks, London; Gallery Laurent de Puybaudet, Paris; Galerie Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam, and his work is included in the permanent collection at the British Museum in London. In 2022, he was featured in the July issue of World of Interiors magazine and his paintings of Hubert de Givenchy’s interiors during the auction of the legendary fashion designer’s extraordinary collection at Christie’s Paris.