The Instinct of Power: Between Elegance, Dominance, and the Wild

Table of Contents

• When the Suit Is No Longer Enough
• The Gorilla: A Symbol of Power and Wisdom
• Red: The Color of Power
• An Artwork Open to All Interpretations
• Technique and Creation Process
• Technical Details and Style
• Who Is This Artwork For?
• Some Products Inspired by This Artwork
• Bring a Storytelling Artwork into your home
• References and Inspirations

When the Suit Is No Longer Enough

A tailored suit. A glass of whisky. A floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city. Everything evokes success, prestige, and power.

Yet the main character is not a man. It is a gorilla.

This contrast lies at the heart of the artwork. It reminds us that behind the codes of our society remain instincts inherited from millions of years of evolution: dominance, competition, territorial protection, and the pursuit of status.

The suit then becomes a symbol. It does not conceal its owner’s true nature; it reveals it.

The Gorilla: A Symbol of Power and Wisdom

Contrary to popular belief, the gorilla is not merely an embodiment of strength.

In the wild, the silverback protects his group, maintains cohesion, and avoids conflict whenever possible. His authority is based more on his presence than on violence.

This duality has always fascinated me.

Beneath an imposing appearance can lie great self-control.

Conversely, behind a perfectly tailored suit, there can sometimes lie a brutality that nothing reveals.

The painting deliberately plays with this ambiguity.

Who is truly civilized?

Red: The Color of Power

In this composition, almost entirely in black and white, a single color stands out. Red.

Impossible to ignore, it immediately draws the eye before we even discover the character’s face.

Red is the color of ambition, passion, danger, but also prestige. For centuries, it has adorned sovereigns, judges, generals, and leaders.

Here, it becomes the true subject of the painting.

The suit does not merely dress the character.

It reveals his influence.

An Artwork Open to All Interpretations

I like creating artworks that do not tell a single story.

Some see it as a critique of the corporate world. Others recognize a reflection on politics or the mechanisms of power. Still others interpret it as a reimagined animal portrait.

There is no right answer.

Each viewer brings their own personal experience and creates their own interpretation.

It is this silent dialogue between the artwork and the person looking at it that gives the painting its full richness.

Technique and Creation Process

This artwork was created using oil paint on canvas, combined with the collage of colored gold leaf to create the red of the suit.

The work is based on a deliberate contrast between an almost monochrome palette and a deep red that captures all the attention.

The diffused light, the reflections on the glass, the textures of the suit, and the realism of the fur have been meticulously crafted to create a cinematic atmosphere.

The goal was to create a powerful image, capable of capturing the viewer’s attention before inviting them to reflect.

Technical Details and Style

• Original painting created with oil on canvas.
• A powerful contrast between the painted monochrome palette and the vibrant metallic red created with gold leaf.
• Contemporary style combining realism and symbolism.
• A narrative artwork open to interpretation.
• Ideal for modern, designer, or high-end interiors.
• A painting that naturally draws the eye and sparks conversations.

Who Is This Artwork For?

The Instinct of Power is intended for those who appreciate artworks that tell more than they simply show.

For contemporary art enthusiasts.

For those fascinated by human psychology.

For those who appreciate cinematic worlds.

For leaders, entrepreneurs, or collectors drawn to questions of leadership, ambition, and human nature.

But also for anyone wishing to bring a powerful artwork into their interior, one that evokes emotion and sparks conversation.

Some Products Inspired by This Artwork

📌 To view all products related to this artwork, click here: The Instinct of Power

Bring a Storytelling Artwork Into Your Home

Some paintings simply decorate a wall.

Others transform a room.

The Instinct of Power belongs to this second category.

Its striking contrast immediately captures attention. Then come the questions.

Who is in control?

Why the suit?

Why this calmness?

Each visitor will see a different story within it.

And perhaps that is the true power of art.

References and inspirations

This work is part of an exploration of the relationships between humans, animals, and power. It draws inspiration from portraits of leaders, the aesthetics of contemporary cinema, and the universal symbolism of the gorilla—a figure representing strength, protection, and hierarchy.

The contrast between the monochrome and the red highlights this duality: beneath polished appearances lie ancestral instincts that still influence our behavior.

Power does not create instinct. It reveals it.

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