Cosmos Edition: We meet up with the artist Dalkhafine

Check out the interview with the artist Dalkhafine, real name Delphine Dussoubs, who took part in the Cosmos edition.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words?


I'm Dalkhafine, a Franco-Canadian multidisciplinary artist. My work revolves around illustration, murals, motion design and art installations. I would say that my visual world is colourful, dreamlike and perpetually in motion. It evolves with my projects, always with the desire to remain faithful to my style and what I want to convey.

Tell us about your career path and what you're currently working on


I started out as an artistic director in advertising and live shows, which allowed me to work for artists such as Pharrell, Major Lazer and Jain. It was a very formative period, teaching me to maintain an artistic vision while working with creative teams. For the last 12 years I've lived between Paris and Montreal, where I've broadened my practice to include illustration and immersive art projects. Today, I am developing my visual universe through collaborations with brands, while maintaining a personal anchor in each creation.

 


What do you love most about your job?


What I love most of all is this infinite freedom to create. Telling stories without words, simply with shapes and colours. I'm very happy when my works - particularly those in mapping or immersive installations - resonate with people. I also like to be surprised by the diversity of formats: a wall to paint on, a screen to animate on, an everyday object to transform. This variety feeds my creativity and pushes me to constantly reinvent myself.

What are your sources of inspiration?

 

I'd say movement, in the broadest sense of the word: travelling, meeting new people, feeding off what's around me. Museums are also key places for me. I'm very much influenced by 20th century painting and Renaissance engraving, but also by modern illustration and independent comics.

 


How did the partnership with Opinel come about?

 

It was Art by Friends who contacted me about this project, and I was delighted: I've always wanted to work with Opinel. It's an iconic brand that resonates with my love of everyday objects that carry a sense of history and craftsmanship. It inspired me right away!

How did you come up with the idea for the drawings on the knife, what influenced you?


I'm fascinated by astronomy, the cosmos and the myths that surround them. For this project, I wanted to pay tribute to the Tiger and Siren constellations. The first, powerful and majestic, bows gracefully before the siren, whose head shines. A symbol of light and life, the sun illuminates everything it touches. Around them, the stars and the moon create a celestial setting in which the Earth's power and cosmic energy meet. I liked this idea of balance between two powers that respond to one another.

How long did this project take you? What were the different stages?


It all happened quite naturally. Once I'd found my point of focus, I started with hand sketches to define the composition, then moved on to the 'clean' phase to fine-tune the details and harmonise the design as a whole.

This kind of project requires a great deal of attention to detail, as the medium is small and very unique, but I loved rising to the challenge.

Which is your favourite Opinel knife?

 

The No.7, without hesitation. This is the very first Opinel I purchased for myself in 2011. It's been with me ever since, it fits in my pocket and is very practical. It has that sentimental value that makes it almost an emotional object. It really takes me back.


Do you have any memories or a story about Opinel that you can share with us?

 

In 2016, I took part in a group exhibition focussing on Opinel organised by Art by Friends. I'd transformed the knife I'd been given into a bird, nesting in a paper floral box. It was the first time I'd worked on a high-volume piece using this technique, and I loved pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It has remained an important memory in my life.

 


Describe Opinel in 3 words.

 

Iconic. Inimitable. Always on the move.