Victor Gounel (b. 1994) is an architect and figurative artist specialising in large-scale portraiture. With over 16 years of practice, he began exhibiting and selling his work at an early age. He has worked and shared studios in Berlin, Montréal, Paris, Sète, and the Cyclades in Greece. Today his paintings appear in the collections of important figures in French cinema and culture.

« The large scale is movement, choreography; the brush stroke – a sharp trace of the present moment. Portraiture is an instant result of years of practice, where the gaze leaves you with eternity and all the rest is forgotten. »

In 2023, Gounel undertook a radical transformation of his practice. After destroying his previous body of work, he embarked on a year-long journey around the world. This period of renewal culminated in Galassia, his first major exhibition upon returning to Europe. The show introduced his distinctive square-format portraits, marked by close-up framing and a powerful immediacy that defines his current practice.