Padeu’s paintings stem from his fascination with storytelling, the passage of time and the enduring narratives that bind people together. Drawn to a particular subject or community, the artist undergoes a period of extensive research, the images germinating for years before coming to life on the canvas. Each suite of paintings is informed by this intensive study; using childhood memories, images from the artist’s family home, and photographs of close friends to transport the viewer to the heart of an intimate mis en scene. Finally, the artist works with local actors to recreate scenes he remembers from celebrations with friends and family, or a certain atmosphere that caught his imagination while observing local people carrying out their daily lives. Directing these stories allows them to further unfold and in turn, the paintings to take shape in the studio.
Whilst at the Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Douala in Nkongsamba, Cameroon, Padeu was captivated by the technical virtuosity and compositional brilliance of Velázquez and Caravaggio and the light, colour and exuberance found in Impressionist painting. The history of painting - particularly devotional imagery – is ever present in his work. “I can't work without historical and religious references in my painting. History is my passion and religious belief has always been very present around me.”
Previous exhibitions include Peres Projects, Berlin, National Museum of Yaoundé, Cameroon, Kunstmuseum Basel and the National Gallery of Contemporary Art, Cameroon. His work has been acquired for the permanent collection of Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada.