BIOGRAPHY
Sylvie Priou is a French-borne sculptor. She has been living and working at Lima in Peru since end of 1996, hence she also acquired the Peruvian citizenship. After a long career as a researcher in phytopathology at the international level, in 2008 she made a drastic career shift to fulfill her passion for sculpture. In parallel with her academic studies, in France she participated in several sculpture and pottery courses, and in clay modeling courses of French sculptors Raymond Boterf and Micheline Guichon.
In Tunisia, where she had been living and working as a researcher for 4 years, she continued creating ceramic sculptures and she realized assemblage of limestone, marble and bronze-casted sculptures in collaboration with local artisans. Therefore in 1995 she took part in the International Plastic Arts Festival at Mahres where she exhibited some of her sculptures and made a wall iron sculpture.
In Lima Peru, in 1999-2000 she participated in the sculpture studio “Art Novum” where she had her first experience with stone carving. Then maternity and her professional activity kept her away from courses but she continued modeling clay and creating sculptures with a mixture of marble powder and concrete. From June 2007 until end of 2008 she was launched at the carving of alabaster and marble in the sculpture studio “Junin 430” in Barranco (Lima) with the Peruvian sculptor Jorge Huáman Barrueta. Since 2009 she is working independently these materials in her own studio at Lima. She recently also started to create stainless steel sculptures.
At Lima she participated in about 40 group exhibitions, along with recognized Peruvian artists, and her work is being promoted by main Peruvian art dealers.
In 2008, 2010 and 2017 her work was selected as finalist at the Annual National Sculpture Competition (“Luis Hochschild Plaut’s” prize) organized by IPAE, the Peruvian institute of entrepreneurship, and winner of the first prize of this competition in 2012.
ARTIST STATEMENT
«My sculptural practice stems from a fascination with the process of transformation: from the conception of designs and maquettes to transforming metal and stone into fluid, organic forms.
I am passionate about exploring how the hardness and rigidity of matter can contrast with the organic quality of forms, and how something dense and static can acquire a sense of movement, sensuality, and lightness.
The demanding and persevering process of creation is also, for me, a space for introspection. Physical work allows me to clear my mind, remain present, and open myself to a more intuitive and spiritual dimension.
Nature is my primary source of inspiration. Through sculpture, I seek to celebrate its beauty and mystery.
The void and the spiral are recurring elements in my sculptural language.
In my “Connection” series, lines become calligraphies in space, evoking the connections between human beings and transforming emotions such as union, protection, tenderness, and desire into abstract forms.
In the series inspired by the plant world, the forms evoke processes of gestation, growth, emergence, and blossoming, proposing a metaphor for the development of life, its constant transformation, and its capacity for renewal.
In the “Vestiges” series, I pay tribute to the magnificent and vulnerable coral reefs. I carve alabaster into sinuous forms and voids that give the stone a sense of fluidity and life. Hand-carved incisions recreate the textures and delicate patterns that characterize corals.
Other works, both in alabaster and steel, take on a more geometric character and contain multiple symbolic references. In these works, I explore themes such as duality, infinity, the cycle of life, and sacred femininity, using universal geometries and symbols as languages capable of evoking concepts that transcend the visible.
I aspire to transcend the appearance of forms in order to express their essence and inner meaning. I hope my works can invite a moment of pause and contemplation, and that, beyond pleasing the senses, they may awaken in those who contemplate them an intimate resonance and a deeper connection with what is essential.»
The spiral, the emptiness, the infinite and the 8 symbols are very present in my work. In the “connections” series my sculptures are like 3D calligraphy where sensuality and tenderness transmute from the human body to pure forms through flowing lines, with the purpose to express pure human feelings and emotions such as: union, connection protection, tenderness and desire.
Others are more geometrical, with a lot of symbolical references inspired by universal themes such as duality, ascension, the life cycle and infinity.
In the series inspired from the vegetal world, most of the pieces have a possible second interpretation, a metaphor of these elements of vegetal cycle (conceiving/fecundation, gestation, growth and blooming) also found in human development.”
Most of my work inspired by the marine world aims at giving a tribute to the beauty and diversity in shapes and textures of coral reefs which are at risk of extinction.
My stainless steel sculptures, alike my stone-carved ones, are sinuous and flowing that enhances plays of light and shadow and emphasizes the contrast between organic shapes and the hardness of the metal.”
MOST RECENT EXHIBITIONS
2022: Group exhibition at Pullman Hotel of San Isidro organized by Marissi Campos Gallery.
2022: Group exhibition “Maravillarte – Perú: una obra de arte”, Kuelap Gallery of Ministry of Culture, organized by Asociación de Fomento y Apoyo al Arte Peruano (AFAP) Ministry of Culture and Bicentennial Project, Lima.
2021: Group exhibition «PERÚ CAMINO AL BICENTENARIO V: Propuestas para un país partido en dos» in Forum Gallery, Miraflores, Lima.
2021: Group exhibition in Westin Hotel Lima & online auction organizaded by Marissi Campos Gallery & Trust Online Auctions, San isidro, Lima.
2020: Virtual 3D exhibition “NÚCLEO Arte visual contemporáneo” organized by Artmotiv 21. http://www.artmotiv21.com/press.html
2020: Group exhibition organized by Forum Gallery, 21-23 febrero, Club House Kapala, Panamericana Sur Km 98,5, Cañete.
2019: Group exhibition “Taken house” organized by Klaus Steinmetz and Marissi Campos and included in the circuit of Art Lima Gallery Weekend, September 27-29, San Isidro, Lima.
2019: Group exhibition “The art as a means of expression” organizaded by “Villart online gallery”. August 15-30, Amano Museum, Miraflores, Lima.
2018 – Group exhibition organized by “Rosemarie gallery”, Feb. 23 – May 31, Peruvian Yacht Club, La Punta del Callao, Lima.
2017 – Group exhibition “The tree of life” organized by “Marissi Campos Art Gallery”, Dic. 14 – Jan. 31, Club for Enterprises, San Isidro, Lima.
2017: Group exhibition of finalists of the 18th IPAE Annual National Sculpture Competition, June 7-24, John Harriman Gallery, Peruvian-British Cultural Center, Lima.
2017: Group exhibition organizaded by “Villart online gallery”. July 6 – August 12, “Morphology” gallery, Miraflores, Lima.
2016 – Group exhibition for the 3rd anniversary of the Peruvian National Association of Plastic Artists (ANART-Perú). August 18-31. Gallery “Sérvulo Gutiérrez” of Jesús María district Cultural Center, Lima.
2015 – Group exhibition “From the book in Dubai: Peruvian art crossing borders”. May 28 – June 28, Gallery “Pancho Fierro” of Lima Municipality, Lima, Peru.
2015 – Group exhibition organizaded by “Villart Galería Online” in the International Fair on Design, Decoration and Arquitecture «EXPODECO», June 23-27, Centro de Convenciones Corporación E. Wong La Molina, Lima.
2015 – Group exhibition organizaded by “Mixtura gallery”, Real Club de Lima, July 17 – August 15, San Isidro, Lima.
2015, 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2008 – «Nights of Art» charitable exhibition organized by the United States Embassy Association (USEA), (3 nights and one day), Headquarters of BBVA Continental Bank, Lima, Peru.
2014 – Group exhibition “Contemporary proposals“, Inaugural Exhibition of “Online Villart Gallery”, San Isidro, Lima
2014 – Group exhibition “The art of progress”, organized by “Contactarte” Gallery of Audi Zentrum Derby, Lima.
2014, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2008 – «Nights of Art» major charitable exhibition organized by the United States Embassy Association (USEA), Headquarters of BBVA Continental Bank and Puericultorio Araníbar Perez (in 2008) Lima.
2013, 2011, 2008 – Group exhibition of finalists of the 14th, 12th and 10th Annual National Sculpture Competition («Luis Hochschild Plaut’s» Prize), John Harriman Gallery, Peruvian-British Cultural Center, Lima.
2013 – Group exhibition “Captured instants”, Distrital Library of Chaclacayo, Lima.
2012 – Group exhibition “Images and brush strokes of America – Myths and legends”, Gallery of Cultural Center “Augusto Leguía”, Park of Friendship, Lima.
2011 – Group exhibition “Abstract annals”, Gallery “Sérvulo Gutiérrez” of Jesús María district Cultural Center, Lima.
2011 – Group exhibition of participants of the 2nd Alabaster Sculpture Symposium “Huamanga for the world”, Ayacucho, Peru.
2010 – Group exhibition “Perú Diverso” of “Nair y Nap” cultural project, August 04-15, Cultural Center “Juan Parra del Riego”, Lima, Peru.
2007 and 2008 – Group exhibition of members of the studio «Junín 430» in Barranco, Lima, Peru.
