Cactus and mosquitoes 29 by Juliette Lepage Boisdron

Why do I paint cacti and insects? It all began a few years ago, after a heatwave in Basel. I watered my garden morning and evening, to no avail: the soil stayed dry, the plants were suffering. I thought to myself that we would truly have to adapt and perhaps start to plant cacti. They survive where everything else seems impossible. They have become a symbol of resilience in my work. I have been observing insects for a long time. Small, discreet, often unloved... and yet essential. They play their part in the cycle of life. I like to give them a place again in my paintings, a bit of light.

Juliette Lepage Boisdron (b. 1971) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice encompasses painting, drawing, and art jewelry. Born in Paris, her formative years were shaped by a culturally nomadic upbringing across North China, the U.S.S.R., the Arab Emirates, and sub-Saharan Africa, experiences that have profoundly informed her poetic and globally resonant artistic vision. She holds a Master’s degree in Art History from Sorbonne University, after which she embarked on a life of continual travel, immersing herself in the diverse cultures and traditions of the places she lived.

This artwork was part of THE HOUSE WE CARRY exhibition in November 2025.