I need a great deal of solitude to be able to create. Every moment alone in my studio is cherished, protected and thoroughly enjoyed. While I appreciate my time in creative seclusion, I also need to venture out to fuel the process and my greatest catalyst is the contact with others. The human being interests me. The human body, the human psyche, human relationships, they all represent an endless source of fascination.

Up to now, I have mostly painted and sculpted lone characters, their eyes often closed, always in search of inner peace and a state of well-being. Suddenly, I long for something else. The pandemic has left me craving for the other. I don’t know about you, but personally, I found it quite difficult not being able to hug my children, not being able to see my friends, knowing that people I love are alone. These great trials often give rise to spontaneous movements of solidarity that remind us that together we can do great things. Important things.

This prompted me to explore a collection of sculptures that speak of mutual help. I came up with the idea of sculpting little climbers. Some climb alone, others are in teams. They embody mobilization, commitment, collective effort, solidarity, surpassing oneself.

Whether we are talking about the pandemic, the climate change crisis, major world conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, natural disasters causing death and destruction in their wake, or, on a smaller scale, human tragedies hitting a community, a family, or an individual, the best response will always be mobilization and solidarity.