With a scientific formation, I started a teaching career in physics and chemistry in National Education.

Convinced that my calling is elsewhere, I ended this activity at the start of the 2000s to make my way as a sculptor.

 

Coming from a village in the mountains, I developed a strong passion for wild animals, nature and its landforms characteristic of the Bavella rocks reaching for the sky.

The abundant local spirit present in the forest are essentially chestnut, Olivier, walnut and heather strains.

 

It’s a constant quest that drives me in my work.

It’s visions of tridimensional structures that I first explored while I studied physics and that sculpture allows me to emerge from my spirit.

 

The lines of strength are voluntarily accentuated in order to highlight the searched impression and to give the maximum expression: strength, movement, weight, airiness, verticality, and horizontality.

 

Volume is necessary, although observation, especially on the preexisting shapes of the roots, is decisive and unavoidable.

 

Earth is a source of life; it’s where the root takes its energy from.

We are subject to a universal cycle, every being is from the earth and returns to earth.

In botany, the root is the underground part of a plant that allows it to tap into the soil the elements necessary for its nutrition (water, mineral salts) and ensure its attachment to its support.

The root of the Latin radīcīna, diminutive of the Latin radix means base, source or foundation.

 

That which I just exposed has an important symbolic meaning that will constitute the base of my reflexion.

The story begins by a strain extracted at the opening of a forest road.

This root is then stored under an oak tree where it stays for more than a year.

Sometimes I looked at it while I walked by.

The moment of observation was brief and could seem futile at first sight.

I was under the impression that a bull head was emerging from this bloc.

I could have stopped there and moved on, a simple thought that crossed my mind. 

 

Finally I decided to give it a try and to bring this strain back to my cave to work on it.

Spontaneously, using the technique of direct carving, I executed corrections with my chainsaw, my scissors and my gouges.

A bull’s head had appeared.

All I needed now was to add a pair of horns made out of walnut.

 

What I hadn’t realized yet was that this multitude of events leading to the creation of this sculpture would overturn the thread of my life and lead me onto a new path.

Asymmetry and Symmetry; birth of a paradox.

A root by definition is asymmetrical.

In the realization of a sculpture, it is fundamental that the symmetries are strictly followed in volumes.

This is the technical aspect of the work.

 

Here lies the problem: how to recognize symmetry in a root, which by definition is completely asymmetric?

At this stage it was then necessary to continue the work?

 

A balance seemed to be achieved by these small alterations that I can qualify with a certain modest recoil compared to what the earth gave me.

The room seemed to be complete after this strange face to face.

A dialogue had been created as well as a deep sense of respect.

 

It was important at this stage not to go too far; in fact, the root should retain its own structure despite thesymmetries created.

By continuing the work and crossing limits, the risk was to disfigure an existing structure along with what it represents.

 

What I have just described is a first aspect.

If I go further in the analysis of other essential elements will be added.

 

It is important to note that in order to expand myreasoning that I am a self-taught sculptor.

I haven’t been trained by any school; therefore, I did not receive any external artistic influence.

My work comes from my imagination.

But how does one build his imagination?

If I compare what I have created with the mountainous terrain in my area I see the material created is similar to that of the geographic terrain.

This is particularly visible in the photo of a sculpture of an eagle taken in front Bavella.

Indeed the raptor wing structures are similar to the configuration of the rocks.

There is therefore an unconscious transcription of the surrounding space giving a style unique to the produced part.

The mountain is harsh, it is subject to storms, and the massive vertical plunging into the sea gives an impression of hardness and austerity.

This is also reflected in the work where wild animals predominate.

Additionally the concept of freedom and vastness also are strong values transmitted by this land.

 

The bull’s head in this case carried out in 2000 in a root was a major piece by his strength and balance.

This piece spontaneously produced and almost accidental will mark my future inspirations.

 

Bronze from lost wax castings are made from the masterpieces in limited editions of 8 pieces.

 

The drawings and lithographs also play an important role in my work.

 

Literary works that struck me:

« Myth of Sisyphus » by Albert Camus

Antoine de Saint Exupéry and Michel Leiris with « Mirror of Bullfighting”