Cécile Bichon is a multidisciplinary artist based in Paris.
Originally trained in graphic design, she gradually turned to installation and sculpture before focusing on ceramics through discovery as a self-taught artist.
She creates unique pieces by merging sculpture and functionality, exploring the possibilities of the material to constantly renew her shapes and creative processes.
APPROACH
Her work is built around a "primitive" vision of the world, a way of looking at things by disregarding our rational knowledge in order to view each piece as if it were the first time and ask the fundamental question: "what is it?".
She creates objects by letting the slip flow, solidify freely to evolve in enigmatic shapes, lunar concretions, half-stone half-flesh.
She then looks at these objects with wonder as if these works were a complete stranger who had been self-generated without any human touch being involved at any point.
Just as the effort must disappear behind the dancer's movements to evoke emotion, she aims to erase the hand behind the object so each can come alive with its own presence.
Everyone is free to confront these evocative shapes to develop a simple hypotheses to complex mythologies.
TECHNICAL PROCESS
Cécile makes every piece without throwing, modelling or slipcasting.
Furthermore, she barely touches each piece until they are completely dry.
She lets the material flow in relative freedom in order to achieve the most natural shapes as possible.
The process also requires the development of specific recipes including various ingredients which modify the mechanical properties of the clay to retract smoothly without any cracks and achieve an overall homogeneous drying.
The liquid consistency of the slip allows Cecile to pour it on a paper mache frame which determines the general shape of the object. The frame is either then removed or burned during firing.
She obtains varied shapes with this simple method depending of the density of the clay and overall application.
Each new piece represents a singular response of the clay to a «proposed making process» scenario.
Since her encounter with ceramics, Cécile explores the endless possibilities whilst trying to push the limits a little further each time.
