Jean-Michel Folon is often referred to as a “committed dreamer.” 
Jean-Michel Folon sought to create a poetic language accessible to all: images and universal symbols that could be understood regardless of the viewer's age or background. He explored this art of purity and balance through various media such as painting, sculpture, illustration, posters, and animation (such as the opening credits for the French television channel Antenne 2).
There is nothing superfluous or unnecessary in his works, the composition being simplified to the extreme. 
From his earliest works, Folon gravitated towards water-based painting: colored ink or watercolor. Light, transparent, crystalline, it requires a knowledge of the interplay of colors, composition, and drawing.

A master of watercolor painting, Folon presents us with an enigmatic landscape marked by a gradient of diffuse colors: purple, mauve, orange, yellow... This subtle and velvety gradation, with its delicate contrasts, gives the viewer a feeling of well-being, emanating a silent and contemplative atmosphere. This watercolor background is reminiscent of a sunrise or sunset. The eye, at the center of the composition, takes the place of the sun, like an unknown creator observing the world. A “man with a hat” sitting atop a colorful hill seems to be contemplating it. This character, a favorite of Folon's, with its simplified graphics, is reduced to its simplest expression. This figure is reminiscent of other representations of men with hats, such as those seen in the works of Magritte or in Chaplin's films. It possesses the universality of the “everyman” with whom everyone can identify. In Folon's work, as in that of his predecessors, the recurring theme of loneliness, associated with the perception of the immensity of the landscape, is a major feature.

Although poetic, Folon's works often reflect the artist's commitment to certain causes and a certain criticism of society. 
The title of our work, OUVRIR L'ŒIL (OPEN YOUR EYES), is very explicit. While the eye allows us to see, the phrase figuratively means “to be careful” or “to be vigilant.”
It is a “militant” message from the artist, inviting and challenging the observer to reflect on our relationship with the visible and invisible world. In many traditions, the eye is also seen as a symbol of the quest for truth and justice. This introspective gaze embodies the ability to see beyond appearances and reveal what is hidden. In this sense, the eye acts as a mirror of consciousness, prompting us to seek truth not only in the outside world, but also within ourselves.

In an interview with Paul Augé in September 1983, the artist said: "Sometimes there is a big mouth, a big eye, a big hand... It's true that there is a presence of something immense that escapes us. But the recurrence of the eye in my drawings also comes from the fact that I am a visual person. I'm not going to rank our senses, but for me, it's so incredible to be able to see, to look. It's such a blessing !"

Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs 
also known as  Chapelle Folon, 2004
Saint-Paul de Vence, Alpes Maritimes
Mosaic decoration by Jean-Michel FOLON 
Last work by the artist, who died in 2005

Jean-Michel FOLON 
L'Oeil
Polychrome ceramic 
Numbered edition of 30
Diameter: 50 cm

Jean-Michel FOLON 
L'Oeil
Color lithograph
60 x 69 cm