To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Inddigo, which provides consultancy services on sustainable development for companies and community groups, introduced its subsidiary Pikaia, dedicated to biomimetic solutions which mimic natural systems and elements.

The Inddigo team wanted drawn portraits for the Pikaia website.

Here is a testimony by Emmanuel Delannoy :

What was your first reaction on seeing your portrait ?

Firstly, I was surprised by how alive it seemed. I find the way the drawing is done, particularly the expression, is quite impressive, for my portrait and for the others produced for Pikaia.

The drawing is also a way to soften the pictures, with an emphasis on the smile, for example. It’s always difficult to talk about yourself and I don’t really like the way I look, in general, but with this I find it rather touching, alive.

Do you feel like you recognise yourself in the drawing?

Absolutely, and that was also the case for people who know me well. There is an interpretation in the drawing which paradoxically gives the impression of being more true to life. I often feel betrayed by photos and paradoxically I find the drawing more real.

There is also a little sense of timelessness. A photo is immediately dated, while here, the drawing seems to be able to capture something more essential and profound, which is more resistant to the passage of time.