NES - Le caprice des temps

The Caprice of the Times

12x12x105 cm
2021
Varnished
Unique sculpture signed on the base by NES, French artist sculptor in metal
Sculpture in steel and aluminum for the rivets
Metalworking sculpture technique, welding and riveting
Varnished
Delivered with invoice and certificate of authenticity
Excellent condition
Weight of the sculpture 4700 grams
Delivered in Colissimo with tracking and insured

Background

Nes is a Bordeaux-born artist now based in the Médoc. She was born in 1979. A metal designer, she creates sculptures and furniture from salvaged metal parts. Her work has a strong presence and a definite identity drawn from a baroque universe and heavily inspired by punk iconography.
Very early, this young woman turned toward artistic creation. It was in 2003, as she completed her university studies with a degree in Foreign Languages, that she discovered metalworking during a trip to Cuba. This discovery, experienced as a true revelation, led her to redirect her studies. She undertook a qualifying training in metallurgy at IFIP in 2004, followed by a specialization in 2006 as a welding technician with an industrial and space-oriented vocation. While continuing to explore contemporary artistic creation on her own, she completed her training by becoming a qualified pyrotechnician in 2008.
Her works quickly caught the art world’s attention, standing out for their strong singularity and earning several articles in the press (see press kit). In 2007, she won a Défi-Jeunes, a program set up by the Ministry of Youth. For her, it was a true catalyst that propelled her toward professionalism. From then on, she was frequently invited at regional, national, and international levels. In 2009 she represented France at the International Francophonie Games competition and exhibited at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut. In 2010, she was invited to UNESCO in Paris where she presented her work in a solo exhibition. As a national laureate of the Envie d’Agir program, she received the 2nd prize in cultural creation awarded by the High Commissioner for Youth. At the regional level in Aquitaine and Charente, she received the 2nd prize in art design from Rotary District 1690.
Drouot appraisal at the public auction “Young Contemporary Creation” (March 22, 2014, Hôtel Drouot, Paris).

Artistic approach

"When I was 5, I visited with my parents the torture museum under the Inquisition of Santillana del Mar. The capacity of humans to make others suffer horrified and fascinated me at the same time. I was terrified by the ingenuity with which man has developed so much monstrosity. My work transcends this monstrosity through an appearance of gentleness that hides the violence humanity can harbor within it. I want to show the dark side of humanity, the human experience of suffering, the ability of man to hide the horror deep inside himself, in order to highlight the passage from shadow to light."
By liberating her gesture, Nes reveals through her sculptures a baroque and poetic universe. She draws strength from metal to lead the viewer into her world of arabesques, curves, and chains. Power in the material, fragility in the airy forms emerging from a complex imagination. From darkness to light, from chain to steel lace…
A baroque universe, another more playful one, both converge in the same objective: to give a soul back to forgotten industrial elements. Playing with appearances, shadows, light and contrasts, treating hostile materials until artfully guiding them toward softness and lightness. Her artistic signature, expressed through the use of chains from a chainsaw, earned her the press nickname "the iron dentellière" (the iron lacemaker). Ambivalence between form and matter, subtlety of plastic language, misappropriation of materials.
"The questions that drive me: how to show discernment and live in society while considering that everyone may have a part of monstrosity within them? What are the limits of humanity’s extreme behaviors? How to detach from daily reality, from the illusions of our perception to ease this suffering, to stop hiding this dark part of ourselves? How to free oneself from prejudices and challenge appearances? How to live with this dark side of the soul? Meditate, accept, deny, rebel, renounce?"

Some exhibitions

Exhibition “Resonances” for the 500th anniversary of Sainte-Chapelle and artist residency (09/09–06/11/21; residency: 21–25/09/21, Le Trampoline, Vic-le-Comte (63))
Exhibition and selection at the “3rd International Sculpture Competition” of the Biennale Europea d’Arte Fabbrile de Stia (02/09–05/09/21, Stia, Italy)
International symposium “Metal sympozium” and exhibition on the “Metal Trail” (11/06/18–15/06/18, Mlada Boleslav, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic)
Exhibition during the SNBA 2018 Beaux-Arts Fair (13/12–16/12/18, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris)
Exhibition “Arts du feu” at the H.R GIGER Museum (17/10–23/10/15, Gruyères, Switzerland)
Exhibition Capa Esculturas Gallery (12/09–21/10/2014, Madrid, Spain)
Exhibition “Pas à pas” (09/05–09/06/14, Louverigné, Belgium)
Exhibition at the “Feria Internacional del Arte de Granada” (07/05–12/05/12, Churriana de la Vega, Granada, Spain)
Exhibition at “FIARTE 2012” (08/04–20/04/12, Churriana de la Vega, Granada, Spain)
Exhibition at the “Salón internacional de Mujeres Artistas” (06/03–22/03/12, Maracena, Granada, Spain)
Permanent sculpture exhibition “Carpe Diem”: private collection of the Riviera Hotel & Beach Lounge (from 14/05/11, Corniche El Manara, P.O.Box: 11-4021 Riad El Solh 1107 2150, Beirut, Lebanon)
Exhibition of fresh works created during the art symposium “Riviera Fusion” (12/05–30/06/11, Riviera Hotel & Beach Lounge, Corniche El Manara, Beirut, Lebanon)
Exhibition and selection for the international Francophonie Games competition. Residency. Intervention in a school in Sidon. (27/09/09–06/10/09, UNESCO Palace, Beirut, Lebanon)
Permanent sculpture exhibition “Pulsations and Convergences”: private collection of the Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais (from 06/10/09, Beirut, Lebanon)

Public commissions / Public collections

Public commission by the city of Lacanau: monumental sculpture “Fòrga” created in homage to the heritage site “La Forge” - Permanent display in front of the town hall (07/24, Lacanau (33))
Commission from the Interregional Directorate for Judicial Protection of Youth (DIRPJJ) – South-West (Trophies for the “Parcours du goût” -(13.5x17x35 cm-11.5x16x29.5 cm-11.5x14.5x26.5 cm) -(07/23))
Acquisition of the sculpture “La Force d'âme” by the town of Vic-le-Comte and the Departmental Council of Puy-de-Dôme (Le Trampoline, place de l’olme, Vic-le-Comte (63) (11/13/21))
Acquisition of the sculpture “Thétis” by the Departmental Council of Charente-Maritime (Atrium of the Maison de la Charente, La Rochelle (17) (08/20/18))
Acquisition of the sculpture “The Dark Tower” by the town of Aiguillon (47) (12/10/16))
Acquisition of the sculpture “Les Trois Portes” by the Beychac et Caillau library/art library (10/05/16))
Public commission: the town hall of Soulac-sur-Mer: sculpture created during the urban residency and public performance “Urban Welding Art” (05/03–12/05/13, Place de la Basilique, Soulac-sur-Mer)
Public commission of UEAJ 33: practical workshop with youths from the Judicial Protection Service for youth, aimed at social and professional integration (2013, UEAJ 33, Bordeaux)
Public commission of the Gironde General Council. Trophies “Mission Agenda 21” (2012-10-15, Gironde General Council, Bordeaux)
Public commission of UEAJ 33: creation of panels for the student restaurant “le P’tit Creux.” Practical workshop with youths from the Judicial Protection Service for youth, aiming at social and professional insertion (05-11/05/12; 14-15/05/12; 05-06/07-08/06/12; 11-12/13-14-15-18-19/06/12, Listrac-Médoc workshop)
Public commission of the town hall of Avensan: 20th anniversary of twinning with Castrillo de Murcia (04/2012)
Creation of a monumental mission cross (02/2012, Avensan town hall (33))
Public commission: creation of a monumental sculpture for the entrance of a media library (Inauguration on 10/09/11, Beychac et Caillau)
Creation of trophies for the Michelet Challenge. Practical workshop with youths from the Judicial Protection Service for youth, aimed at social and professional insertion. (2010/2011, UEAJ 33)
Creation of sculptures for school parking lots. Project with the participation of children. (2009, Avensan town hall (33))