{"id":166395,"date":"2025-11-29T18:25:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/166395\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T18:25:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:25:10","slug":"leonore-chastagner-sculpts-tender-connections-between-figurative-gestures-and-objects-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/166395\/","title":{"rendered":"L\u00e9onore Chastagner Sculpts Tender Connections Between Figurative Gestures and Objects \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

From a variety of natural colors of clay, L\u00e9onore Chastagner<\/a> sculpts tender representations of the human form. She details the wrinkles on one\u2019s knuckles, the creases in a pair of denim jeans, and the intricate layers of a loosely folded T-shirt. <\/p>\n

\u201cI use clay as one uses a diary: to record the feelings of daily life and the things that surround me,\u201d Chastagner tells Colossal. \u201cI take interest in what\u2019s in front of me when I\u2019m alone: my apartment,\u00a0clothes, small\u00a0gestures of the body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2022), ceramic, 51 x 65 x 45 centimeters. Photo by jclett<\/p>\n

Chastagner\u2019s background in art history also influences her work, especially through the lens of archaeology and the often mysterious origins or uses of small figurines or personal objects. She\u2019s particularly interested in the kinds of talismans and goods that were buried with the deceased in order to accompany the soul to the afterlife\u2014a ritual seen in myriad ancient cultures around the globe.<\/p>\n

Clay is itself a timeless and inherently malleable medium, which Chastagner appreciates for the range of techniques and consistencies she can work with. Because the material is soft and immediately responsive to touch, it represents a kind of freedom and openness. \u201cI was also drawn to (clay\u2019s) simplicity,\u201d the artist says. \u201cIt\u2019s a\u00a0natural\u00a0material that\u2019s been used by human beings since the earliest civilisations. It has a universal quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recently, Chastagner has been working on a series of domestic environments, such as small bedrooms and living rooms. These move beyond objects or figurative gestures to consider the spaces that encompass the body and evoke a sense of nostalgia for miniatures, like dollhouses.<\/p>\n

The artist\u2019s work will be on view in a solo presentation during Ceramic Brussels<\/a>, which runs January 21 to 25, and celebrates her win of the fair\u2019s juried Art Prize last year. Chastagner is also working toward solo exhibitions opening in April at Centrale<\/a> in Brussels and in May at Galerie Anne-Sarah B\u00e9nichou<\/a> in Paris. Explore more on her website<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2025), ceramic, 9 x 6 x 11 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2022), ceramic, 40 x 50 x 15 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2023), ceramic, 21 x 10 x 5 centimeters. Photo by Je\u0301re\u0301my Josselin<\/p>\n

\"AUntitled (2023), ceramic, 10 x 14 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2023), ceramic, 14 x 5 x 7.5 centimeters. Photo by jclett<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2021), ceramic, 10 x 8 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"twoInstallation view at Salon de Montrouge (2025). Photo by Louise Sauvard<\/p>\n

\"aUntitled (2023), ceramic, 18 x 16 x 5 centimeters<\/p>\n

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