Maria Calandra visits the studio of painter Jules de Balincourt. Balincourt's exhibition Itinerant Ones is on view at Victoria Miro Gallery, London through December 20, 2013.

Calandra writes: "A diverse group of characters fade in and out of De Balincourt's paintings, which gives their personas a mystery akin to the narratives they are partaking in. I was particularly drawn to an eclectic group perched on the limbs of a gigantic tree in one of his larger works. Much of his paintings leave the story up to the viewer to complete. In this grouping, I liked thinking of spiritual sit-ins and their lengthy contemplations on nature. In some areas of De Balincourt's paintings, he will add a seemingly infinite amount of layers, while in other areas he will remove paint, giving way to seductive hidden textures. Sometimes, he even leaves the panel naked showing the bare wood beneath. The combination of these techniques make the paintings combust like the fires and cities he depicts."