A master astrologer, multimedia artist Sébastien Aurillon harnesses his encyclopedic knowledge of the stars and planets to create art that lets us contemplate our place in the universe via the mystical symbolism of the zodiac. In a unique process that merges the fine and decorative arts, Aurillon embellishes acrylic mirrors with digitalized versions of paintings, drawings, and photographs, as well as favorite fabrics and patterns. The splendid result: luxuriously layered and beautiful works—visual astrological charts—that interact with the viewer, simultaneously reflecting and inviting reflection. This is not photoshop; call it photocouture. “Photo-haute-couture!” adds the artist.
People are not the only entities with zodiac charts; cities, countries, corporations, all have birth, rising and moon signs. Just as astrology helps to determine compatibility between people, it can also indicate whether a traveler will feel at home in a particular destination. The poet Charles Baudelaire used words to conjure “L’Invitation au Voyage”; Aurillon does it with symbols. Both invitations—the verbal and visual—are beautifully aligned, describing places of pure “luxe, calme, et volupté” (luxury, peace and delight).
Born in Paris and based in New York, Aurillon is an intrepid traveler who leaves a part of himself in places around the globe, from Alaska to Taipei, Los Angeles to Cuenca to Marrakech—and all of these destinations, plus many more, are celebrated with one of his unique artworks. Aurillon’s true home, to quote Baudelaire, is a “forest of symbols” from astrology and the Tarot; these he applies to his reflective “canvas,” creating works that are at once fine art objects and functional items: style lavishly wed to substance.
“It can be hard to sell paintings,” the artist allows, “but everyone needs a mirror in their home.” Aurillon’s artful, astrological mirrors double as portals to a cosmic consciousness. Contemplating these dynamic and visually layered doors of perception, viewers catch their own reflection amidst the symbols, which in turn look back at the viewer with “a familiar gaze” (Baudelaire again). Enchanted, enchanting mirrors that recall fairy tales and films by Jean Cocteau, they offer quietly interactive art experiences as transporting as a whirlwind trip to a faraway land.
To chart an astrology mirror, the artist enjoys immersing himself in new places for long periods; viewers of his work can feel his openness to learning new things [in situ] on each trip. Aurillon spent six months of last year (May—November, 2024) in Cuenca, Ecuador, at the invitation of Hernan Pacururcu, director of the renowned Cuenca Biennale. There, the artist created a reflective portrait of that city for inclusion in the exhibition Pacururcu curated at OFF Arte Contemporáneo Gallery, “ECOS: The Resonance of Landscape” (opened in Summer 2024).
Next, Aurillon traveled to Mexico City, where he stayed another six months, until May of this year, collaborating with artist and stained glass Maestra Guadalupe Romero Vargas. “I developed the design for an astrological chart of Mexico City,” he says, “while she guided me through the intricacies of stained glass technique.” When complete, the piece will be exhibited alongside other collaborative works in 2025–2026; work-in-progress images already indicate that it’s a masterpiece, an imaginative update on the centuries-old art of stained glass fenestration, which dates back to Ancient Rome.
Landing on the web site aurillon.com, built by the artist himself, the first word encountered is Orion. A soundalike homonym for Aurillon, Orion is the fabled huntsman of classical mythology, morphed into an outline of stars by the goddess Artemis and permanently relocated to the night sky, reborn as a brilliant constellation. Like his almost-namesake, Sébastien Aurillon is both earthborn and astral, a nomad eternally on the hunt, gathering images and experiences, reinventing himself and his art, beckoning us to picture ourselves amidst the stars. G&S
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