Gabrielle Huguenot
Un pied dans la tombe et l’autre qui glisse
One foot in the grave and the other slipping
After the tumult and the blinding rays of glory, Silence. A heavy silence where numerous fierce battles are waged, Without a scar to be seen. Inhabited by a visceral fear of oblivion, The Snake Woman walks towards what she believes to be her doom. Lost on a dark and tortuous path, She scans the horizon for light, Hesitating at every step lest the glimmer be but a mirage. She carries with her the eroded vestiges of her past greatness, She sports them as trophies soiled by indifference. Her speech stands out, It is a bitter lament with hints of condescension, Emotions cut each other off to fill the silence that condemns her. She draws on her last strength to thunder a chaotic Swan Song that she would have liked to sound triumphant and solemn. Somewhere between euphoria, paranoia, and ecstasy, She flays herself to pay her own tribute, Lest anyone mourn her. She drinks in the crash of her falls, Destroyed by her unwillingness to see the victorious silence.
Larmes tremblantes, 2024
Head piece created with the support of Maison Goossens
Inspired by the magnificence of baroque jewellery and the marks of time that deteriorate it, Larmes tremblantes explores the contrast between strength and vulnerability. Composed of monumental organic metal forms, the piece is intricately structured to follow the curves of the body. The surface of the metal is hammered and enamelled by hand, seeking to manhandle the material while making it robust and immutable. Teardrops of changing crystals and enamelled baroque pearls burst from the darkness of the enamel. Some crystals are mounted in “trembleuse,” a setting technique used in jewellery making that allows the stones to tremble through a hidden system. The imposing, massive nature of the piece is thereby compromised by fragility.
Rancoeur Acérée, 2024
Set of rings created with the support of Maison Desrues
Symbolising the seclusion of La Femme Serpent, extremely long nails express the passage of time. Both spectacular and embellished with enamel, they tell of her dreary wait and her passivity. The techniques used to produce them create an ambiguity somewhere between modern and archaic. The development of 3D designs has left behind immaculate precision in favour of a search for imperfections. The surface of the metal is marked by jolts and snags, the signs of a fierce battle. The enamel work is inspired by an Arts Déco archive piece from Maison Desrues, seeking to breathe new life into techniques now lost to modern technology.
Chaos en Fleurs, 2024
Flowers created with the support of Maison Lemarié
The pieces combine florist expertise and metalwork through assembly techniques. The petals are made up of several layers of rhodoid from the Maison Lemarié archives. The cuts are made from ancient moulds then shaped by hand and dyed. The petals were then assembled using various types of metal, seeking to create the remnants of a bouquet of flowers that would rather oxidise than wither.
Gabrielle Huguenot
