Feature on World Famous painter Kal Gajoum

            From the earliest rites and ceremonies of the indigenous peoples of the new world, tobacco smoke has played the role of a gathering force throughout history; and so it remains to this very day. The alluring dance of the blue smoke has captured the imaginations of our greatest artists and thinkers from Orson Welles and Freud to Faulkner to name a tiny few. As Victor Hugo famously said “tobacco is the plant that converts thoughts into dreams” referencing the contemplative nature of smoking and its inherent alignment with our creative capacities. There are few contemporary artists that have integrated their passion for cigars into their creative process as completely as Kal Gajoum has.

            Kal Gajoum is an internationally renowned oil-painter and one of the most prolific and prominent figures of knife palette painting in the art world today. He realized his talent in his infancy, going on to host his first exhibition in 1983 at the young age of 15 in his hometown of Tripoli. Kal’s masterful technique has developed into an immediately recognizable style over the years. His predominant painting genre is the still life and cityscape, where he masterfully captures the spirit and architectural specificities of the cities he was influenced by, in a remarkably unique way. Currently based out of Montreal, Kal continues his globe-trotting career having exhibited his work internationally in Canada, France, England, Italy, Malta, Tunisia and Libya.
            Accompanied with a notepad and a pair of H. Upmann Magnum 50s, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kal last month to discuss cigars, his artwork, and his creative process.

            Despite officially beginning his love affair with cigars upon moving to Vancouver in 2003, tobacco has always had a background presence in Kal’s life, and even became a vehicle to rekindle old family histories.

Kal: “My uncle who’s in his 90’s now, is a lifelong cigar smoker, I always loved the smell of tobacco even though I only had my first cigar 17 years ago! After buying some Davidoffs he would tell me about the time he met Zino in Geneva during his studies in the 50’s and 60’s as a young man. He is a crazy cigar smoker it was a big honour for him. For the last 15, 16 years I learnt a lot from my uncle, he gave me guidance to develop my own tastes, I’m still learning but at least now I know what I like!”

Danilo: How were those early days getting into the hobby?

Kal:  “I never smoked a cigarette before, for me I always thought of the cigar like wine. But of course in the beginning you start small with boxed wine or cigarillos when you don’t know any better. I remember smoking outside in Gastown in Vancouver with my aficionado friend (back when you could) asking me “what the hell are you doing smoking those cigarillos!?” before giving me one of his cigars. For sure I couldn’t fully appreciate the quality of what he gave me at the time but that’s how you start learning and developing your tastes, it is a lifelong journey….just like painting.

Danilo: I imagine it was a very natural progression smoking and painting, it feels like the ultimate companion to your creative process.

Kal: “Absolutely.  Even in the beginning with non-premium cigars the feeling is so good when you’re painting, you completely lose track of time, and it’s a mindset that’s hard to describe. The flavors and the smoke and the ritual of preparing the cigar with the painting, helps you focus very deeply, thinking about what you’re doing in the moment .”

Danilo: I’m sure your pieces are a record of that process, that much smoke must get absorbed through the oil paints. I imagine the aroma from your favorite vitolas getting trapped in your paintings, like you’re subtly leaving your own seal of approval … or “smell” of authenticity.

Kal: “My promoter here in Montreal and in Whistler mentioned this! One lady made a comment “You know I smell cigar in your painting” and I thought “are you kidding me?” but she insisted “smell, smell!” I was skeptical because the paint takes a few weeks to dry, then it must be sealed up and shipped, so the woman must have an incredible sense of smell, I was skeptical at first, it’s crazy but it may be true!”

Danilo: How did you develop the knife palette technique that you are now so well known for?

Kal: “I was first introduced to the palette and other techniques a long time ago back in Tripoli, through a friend of my father who was a student at the Leonardo Da Vinci School in Rome back in the 50s. I would completely adopt the palette knife much later. I would paint copying the Dutch masters for a start… Van Dyke, Rembrandt, Vermeer, I was obsessed with all these guys; they were my first inspirations… the still lifes and learning much more of a classical realist style. In addition I explored aquarelles in Malta, where I made my living selling water color pieces on the sidewalk. At this time I worked with an art restoration painter, we would restore old local antique painters from the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries. You learn a lot when you are fixing someone else’s work; you have to learn to place yourself in the mind of these old artists. I adopted the palette knife much later…slowly, slowly it developed from something abstract to something that it is today, where you can see the classic, impressionist influences, but done with a knife. You have to be very generous with the colors when using the knife or else they won’t give you what you want.

Danilo: Your technique compliments your cityscapes brilliantly, your generous use of color, truly celebrates urban living in a way I’ve never seen before. At the same time your paintings appear to have one foot in the past, while simultaneously anticipating the future, there’s a timeless quality.

Kal: “Yes this mix of old and modern people see in the paintings, I very much see my artistic development there. There are influences of classicism and impressionism together; it really is a record of a natural progression of learning”

Danilo: Why do you think there is a taste for cityscape paintings today?

Kal: “There is a taste to it because people are attracted to the urban lifestyle; I am very familiar with this. It’s really a beautiful world. There is a lot to capture when you think of the architecture of New York all the business on 5^th avenue, or Pont Alexander III in Paris, some people are going to eat others to a concert, or to meet friends, and with all the lights everywhere, you know what I mean. That’s life!”

Danilo: I see a big philosophical alignment between smoking a cigar and your painting process. You can’t rush a cigar just like you can’t rush inspiration to do a painting; you’ve seemed to master the art of stoking the embers of your own creativity, being meditative and sparing with your time just like the knife palette technique demands you to be generous with your paint…

Kal: “Oh yes, they complete each other, in my opinion you know without cigars, without music I can’t paint! When I am painting you don’t know what time or day it is, Sunday, or Monday…who cares!?

The next exhibition from Kal Gajoum will take place on March 28^th presenting 20 of his latest paintings at Galerie Beauchamp (62 Rue St.Paul Ouest) from 1-5pm.

Discover more on Kal Gajoum HERE 
and on Instagram @kalgajoum

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Photos taken by Danilo Bulatovic for this article.  Photos of paintings taken from KalGajoum.com